Creator to Creators S7 Ep 95 Matt Axton

https://mattaxton.com

BioIf you live in the United States, there’s a good chance that Matt Axton and his band, Badmoon,
will be coming to a town near you. That is a very good thing.
Axton’s group delivers a sound that is equal parts classic rock, country, rock & roll, and soul. In
other words, as Axton puts it: “Americana with a capital A.” With 200+ shows performed last
year, and a full slate on deck for 2026, they might be the hardest working band in the genre.
Now comes the release of Axton’s newest EP, Same Old Story. Recorded in Los Angeles at
iconic Sunset Sound, it features five songs combining funk, soul, and country and is available
on streaming platforms and on vinyl.
“Muscle Chops” is the lead single. An opening funky rhythm guitar intro leads into a
guitar/bass/drums/organ riff that sounds tighter than a brand new pair of cowboy boots. Axton’s
baritone voice is a deep growl.
You got some voodoo on your mojo
You got something funky up on your soul
A Hammond-B3 organ solo comes on like Al Kooper after the second chorus, fingers dancing
and building to a climax, followed by Taylor Kropp’s screaming lead guitar in the middle eight.
This is a band fully prepared to rock the house.
That Axton leads a band of killer musicians is not a surprise to anyone who has followed the
singer-songwriter’s career. His family’s musical pedigree is untouchable. Grandma Mae Boren
Axton helped discover Elvis Presley and co-wrote the million-selling “Heartbreak Hotel,” moving
to Nashville where she helped launch the careers of titans like Willie Nelson and Garth Brooks.
His father, Hoyt Axton, was an entertainment icon penning hits for the Kingston Trio, Three Dog
Night, Steppenwolf, and Ringo Starr. His mother is also a professional musician, and when
Hoyt’s band toured the country it was a family affair. Matt says, “Mom had me sitting on the
piano since I was a baby.”
Suffice it to say that Matt Axton grew up steeped in music, but that doesn’t mean he takes hard
work for granted. He says, “I come from a legacy family, but you still have to walk the walk.”
Walk the walk he does. He started playing the guitar seriously in college following an injury that
ended a college athletic career. Since then, Axton has written over 350 songs. A few of these
are likely to appear on an upcoming full-length album, planned for a week-long recording
session later this year in Tulsa.
Axton and Badmoon have just completed a West Coast tour, and are soon to hit the road again
for Oklahoma for a residency at The Colony and a week-long recording session. April kicks off a
swing up into the Mountain West, including Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Washington, and
Oregon. In August and September the band goes to Nashville and the Northeast.
If it sounds like a busy schedule, there’s more: Axton also runs the monthly Americana Joy
concert series in Los Angeles and the annual Tahoe Joy music festival in his home town of
Tahoe City. But there’s no rest for the wicked, nor for musicians trying to improve the world by
spreading mountain soul rock and roll from coast to coast, one listener at a time.
Axton says, “Making any kind of impact in the world — making it a little better, a little better-
sounding — that’s the dream.”

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