Matt Farris Country Band from Phoenix, AZ

With an unparalleled passion for country music, it comes as no surprise that Skytone Entertainment artist Matt Farris's career has gotten off to a promising start. A heart for helping those in need paired with an incredible talent and positive energy has allowed for the early and natural growth of a significant fan base. All of these characteristics have given Farris a strong foundation on which to build his career – one that, at the hands of another, was almost instantaneously taken away. Entertaining family and friends from the moment he spoke his first word, Farris's passion for entertainment has always been apparent. With an early exchange of lullabies for classic country tunes sung by his mother Sandra, the Lake Havasu City, Arizona-native has ever since gravitated toward the genre. After graduating high school, Farris moved to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University and later to Phoenix where he became an emergency medical technician and certified fire fighter through The Glendale Community College Fire Academy – all the while continuing to work on his music. His plight for country music stardom, however, nearly came to a tragic end when an altercation with two strangers trying to steal his father's truck left both Farris and his father shot. "There were a few men looking to steal my dad's truck. We tried to stop them… At one point, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot. My dad stepped in front of me and the bullet went through him and into me. We were both extremely fortunate our injuries weren't more serious." The incident put the importance of family and music into perspective for Farris, who formed a band with his father and grandfather – both musicians themselves. Eager to get back to his music, Farris began playing out around Phoenix, continuing to build his career and fan base. In 2010, he surprised the band by entering the Colgate Country Showdown, making it into the Arizona State Finals. Encouraged by his success, Farris made the move to Nashville to further his career in 2011. In late 2011, Farris came to the attention of Skytone Entertainment owner and veteran producer Frank Green. His first single, Redneck Radio, saw placement in both the Billboard Indicator (peak #56) and Music Row (peak #) charts, as well as holding a position at #1 on the Indie World Country chart four weeks in a row. His current single, Resident Redneck, continues to ascend and was recently nominated for industry trade New Music Weekly's New Music Country Single of the Year Award. Radio and industry trades aren't the only ones that have taken notice – on February 1st, the cast of Country Music Television's (CMT) My Big Redneck Family sported Matt Farris t-shirts on an all-new episode. Farris continues to play live as much as possible, sharing the stage with Darryl Worley, Trent Tomlinson, Adam Gregory, Keith Anderson and Colt Ford. This summer he'll open for Jason Aldean on the main stage at Country Thunder in Florence, Arizona. Despite a full schedule, Farris still finds time to give back, supporting both the Make a Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society – focusing on Breast Cancer Awareness. After losing friend Denise to the disease, he started Denise's Day – an annual benefit in his hometown, now going into its fifth year. "Giving back is extremely important to me. I love everything about what I do. But, more than anything, I love that it allows me a platform to better help those that need it. My music gives others a voice… I love my job.