Bio
How The River Flows, Matt Castillo's third album and his first national release, marks a substantial leap forward for the South Texas-bred country artist.
The dynamic young performer, who's already carved out a D.I.Y. niche and built a loyal fan base on his home turf, embodies a rare convergence of talent, vision and charisma that confirms his status as one of the Lone Star state's most promising indie artists.
Emerging country singer/songwriter Matt Castillo has announced the release of his new EP ‘The River Continues,’ out November 11. Not only is the four-song collection a continuation of his critically lauded solo debut ‘How The River Flows,’ it also showcases Austin-based Castillo’s stylistic progression as an artist and songwriter.Similar to his last album, ‘The River Continues,’ draws inspiration from neo-traditional and 1990s country influences while integrating tinges of the Bakersfield sound and classic honky tonk leanings.
Castillo has quickly earned his spot as an artist to watch having recently earned his first #1 single (“Cause He’s A Cowboy”) on the Texas Regional Radio Report (TRRR). The single’s scenic video, featured on CMT.com, was directed by Paul De La Cerda and filmed throughout Central Texas in San Marcos, Kingsbury and Luling. Check it out here. Earlier this summer, Castillo made his national TV debut on syndicated music series Texas Music Scene. During his segment, Castillo discussed the making of his solo debut album and his songwriting process. Check out the interview here. Without the benefit of mainstream promotion, Castillo’s first two studio albums,‘Small Town Stories’ (2014) and ‘Still Sane’ (2017), established Castillo and his former band (Matt & The Herdsmen) as a popular presence in Texas clubs and online. Over the past few years, he’s shared the stage with Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum, Flatland Calvary, Toby Keith, Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen and more.
How the River Flows reflects the Austin-born Castillo's upbringing in laid-back Edinburg, Texas, where he absorbed the region's musical traditions and developed the independent sensibility that's helped him to chart his iconoclastic course as a live performer and recording artist.
Castillo had a hand in writing 9 of the 10 songs on the record, working with acclaimed songwriters like Brown (“She Gets That Way” by Kenny Chesney; “We Must Be Loving Right” by George Strait and Barbra Streisand), Tommy Conners (“The Last Ten Years (Superman)” by Kenny Rogers; “Last Of A Dying Breed” by Neil McCoy), Hall of Fame Songwriter Byron Hill ((“Fool Hearted Memory” by George Strait; “Nothin’ On But The Radio” by Gary Allan), Karen Staley ("The Keeper of the Stars" for Tracy Byrd, and "Take Me as I Am" and "Let's Go to Vegas" for Faith Hill), and Don Rollins (“Five O’Clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet), among others. Also included on the album are “Blue Water” (written by Karen Staley and John Adam Murph) and Buck Owen’s “Your Tender Loving Care.”
Without the benefit of mainstream promotion, his first two self-released albums, Small Town Stories and Still Sane, established Castillo and his band as a popular presence in Texas clubs and online. His breakout single "For You," from Still Sane, racked up more than 100,000 streams, setting the stage for the vibrant creative evolution that's documented on How the River Flows.
The results on How The River Flows speak for themselves, marking Matt Castillo as a fresh, tenacious talent with a wide-open creative future.
"I'm always trying to grow as an artist and songwriter," Castillo asserts. "It hasn't always come easy, but I'm always working at it. My goals are pretty simple: to keep writing and recording, and to get into a position where I can tour hard across the U.S. I feel like making music is what I was put here for, so I'm not planning on stopping.”