Americana and country-soul singer/songwriter, Crys Matthews is nothing if not ambitious. In August 2017, she simultaneously released both a new full-length album, The Imagineers and an EP, Battle Hymn For An Army Of Lovers. These collections showcase two sides of Matthews’ dynamic songwriting; The Imagineers is a selection of thoughtful songs about love and life while Battle Hymn For An Army Of Lovers tackles social justice themes. Songs from both projects have already won her recognition and awards. She was one of ten finalists (from a pool of 5,000) in this year’s NewSong Music Competition and, after performing at Lincoln Center on November 30th, she was named grand-prize winner. Matthews also won the People Music Network’s Social Justice Songs contest at the 2017 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance.

On Friday, January 17th, Matthews, a North Carolina native and now Virginia resident, will grace the stage of Carnegie Hall to blend Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies and punctuated by honest, original lyrics.

Having been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman to Ruthie Foster, Matthews’ eclectic infusion of genres has won her honorable mentions at the 2017, 2013 and 2014 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and extensive radio play from Woman of Substance radio to WTJU-Charlottesville and WMRA-Harrisonburg to KBOO-Portland.

Carnegie Hall is located at 611 Church Street in Lewisburg. For more information, visit carnegiehallwv.com or call 304-645-7917. To learn more about Crys Matthews, visit crysmatthews.com and follow her @crysmatthewsmusic on facebook. This engagement of Matthews is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

– Hashtag #121 January 2020.