As a graduate of The University of Western Ontario, where she studied English and Drama, songwriting is her natural passion. Writing and performing on both piano and acoustic guitar, she blends mature and sensitive lyrics with evocative, compelling melodies. Ali’s songwriting and performing are highly respected in both the Christian and the mainstream music industry due to her accessible, honest and “non-preachy” lyrics and her ability to weave the “spiritual” into every day life experiences.
In 2000, she released her independent debut CD, Patchwork, a collection of 13 originals. The disc immediately received glowing reviews from critics and listeners alike and her raw and intimate piano ballad, Time Will Never Tell was a winner in Toronto’s Mix 99.9 Songwriting Contest, the regional finals of the 2000 Canadian National Songwriting Contest.
In 2001, she released a Christmas disc entitled On Angels’ Wings which has become a perennial favourite with growing sales each holiday season. In 2005 she teamed up with the charity, FTC Canada (Feed the Children) to release a second edition of the CD, including two new holiday originals. The title track received the 2005 GMA Covenant Award for Seasonal Song of the Year and the disc was up for 4 more awards at the 2006 GMA Covenant Awards winning Seasonal Song of the Year for Brand New Miracle.
In 2004 she released Where You Remain, a haunting collection of traditional hymns and contemporary sacred songs. The CD was awarded Inspirational Album of the Year by the Gospel Music Association of Canada.
In October of 2005, Ali was awarded Woman of the Year by the City of Stratford for her outstanding contribution to the arts in her community and across Canada.
On stage, Matthews has teamed up with co-producer and guitarist, Rick Francis creating a slick acoustic duo with a captivating sound. The stage show explores a wide range of musical styles including elements of folk, pop, rock, jazz and country. The duo has delivered over 600 performances in five years and on special occasions pulls out a six-piece band of top-flight performers, fittingly called The Good China. Her highly anticipated new CD, Window of Light is a collection of all original material and was released across Canada in August, 2006. The new disc received a staggering 7 nominations for the 2006 GMA Covenant Awards – more than any other nominated artist. The awards were handed out on October 27th, 2006 in Calgary where Matthews won four awards, including Folk/Roots Album of the Year, Folk Roots Song of the Year and Country/Bluegrass Song of the Year. “I desire to write songs that connect us with each other; songs that tap into our hopes and heartaches, our fears and passions, the things that make us vulnerable, the things that tell us we are alive. I see a dark and broken world in desperate need of mercy and compassion and I am compelled to create music that will draw us closer to grace, to each other and to our Creator. I am not a preacher - just a fellow-traveller on this fascinating ride …and I don’t mind being transparent.” Ali Matthews
What they are saying about Ali Matthews:
“Ali Matthews' music touches the soul providing both comfort and guidance”. Larry LeBlanc, Billboard Magazine
“...I’m so happy that God has put Ali’s voice into this world.” Larry Norman
“A passionate and soothing voice...musical arrangements fresh, interesting and beautifully integrated.” Loreena McKennitt
“Since the release of her debut CD in 2000 I have followed Ali’s musical career with great interest. I’ve been very impressed, not just with her artistry, but with her level of commitment and her willingness to invest countless hours in the pursuit of excellence. The results of this pursuit are evident. Ali’s songwriting and vocal abilities have progressed at a rapid pace… her future is very bright indeed.” Jim Vallance, Producer / Songwriter (Bryan Adams, Aerosmith, Heart)
"Matthews' softly soaring voice illuminates each melody with lucid maturity and sensitivity. Her vocals are both vulnerable and knowing, finely attuned to life's struggles and hopes." Taylor Guitars, California
“Ali Matthews is an artist who shoots from the heart. It would be impossible for her to hit a false or contrived note.” Rick Whelan, The Toronto Star "Songbird, Ali Matthews...There's star-power in Stratford beyond the Festival's stage." The London Free Press “As a media company that specializes in digitized music content, Ali and her band faced two sizable audience challenges. The first is the fact that we have very knowledgeable music critics and not surprisingly, a disproportionately high number of accomplished musicians within the organization. With those challenges before her, Ali and her band delivered an absolutely incredible performance. The feedback from the evening’s concert has been incredibly positive. I have always thought there was no silver bullet for increasing company morale but Ali has proved that theory incorrect.” Craig Wallace, President & CEO, AOL Canada Inc.
"By turns elegant and inspirational, Matthews never allows the spiritual nature of her songs to degenerate into preachy musical dogma. This is music that speaks to the soul through the ear, whether you call it folk, country, pop or sacred." Robert Reid, The Kitchener-Waterloo Record
"...remarkably poised and confident... her voice is expressive, distinctive and clear, filtering her lyrics through a personality that is both likable and sincere... her melodies are fresh, original and engaging: more than that, they're memorable... by any standards this is among the very best singer-songwriter releases in quite some time." Ken Mavor, Audio File
"...Another notch on the great Canadian singer-songwriter stick” Neil Matheson, Music
"This musical duo is turning heads with their silky acoustic sounds. Both produce their art effortlessly, the sign of true finesse. With ease, they turn a jaded observer into an instant fan." Jim Hagarty, Editor, Stratford City Gazette
"Ali's music is a lot like her faith - raw, intimate and infectious. Her songs not only entertain - they inspire" Michael Bannerman, Singer / Songwriter (Lost Coin)
“The ethereal spirituality of a Loreena McKennitt or a Christian Shawn Colvin permeates this disc... There's something of that "little girl wishing," quality, inside the adult voice of Matthews that brings both those singers to mind. That being said, she's managed to carve out her own unique territory within that tradition...Together with her playing partner and co-producer, Rick Francis, they create a shimmering interweaving of two guitars amid the other acoustic and electronic instruments. It's a full, soaring, airy, searching sound...It's like a good black gospel record-only in a completely different way... if you don't mind the message it's a nice-sounding CD, a good sample of Matthews and Francis at work in the fields of the Lord." Barry Hammond, Penguin Eggs (Canada's Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine)
"This CD delves into the spiritual without ever getting maudlin, and carries itself with grace and wonder" Alex Sinclair, Songwriter / Musician (Tamarack)
AWARDS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
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