Life After Navy
When his service ended, Matt returned home with saltwater still in his veins and a guitar in his hands. He poured his heart into a Christian Rock band that carried him through churches and venues across the U.S., where his songs became vessels of hope and community. Along the way, he met his future wife—the anchor who would steady his journey through calm seas and storms. To care for their growing family, he set the guitar aside, went back to college, and built a career as an engineer. With relentless drive, he founded his own consulting firm, which continues to be a safe harbor of stability for his family. Yet even then, the dream of returning to music drifted just beneath the surface, like a tide waiting to rise.
TikTok by Accident
In 2023, the tide finally turned. On a dare from friends, Matt went live on TikTok, never imagining how that simple act would change everything. Behind him, an old guitar caught the eye of his viewers, who begged him to play. When he did, the response was electric—waves of support crashing in from strangers who instantly became something more. Night after night, he played Classic Rock, Country, and Pop covers on acoustic guitar and ukulele, his humor and authenticity drawing people in. Soon, the current pulled him deeper, and he began writing and performing original songs inspired by the life he knew best—the Texas Gulf Coast.
Return To Songwriting
These weren’t just songs; they were tides of faith, family, freedom, and fun. Fans gathered from across the world, though most came from the Gulf states. One follower, a woman living aboard a boat with her family in South Florida, told him his music felt like the soundtrack of her life. That confession struck him like a crashing wave, confirming that his songs were carrying people to places they recognized in their own hearts. In early 2024, he released his first single, “Sand On Our Boots,” followed by several more, including the fan favorite “Sail Away.” With every livestream and every new song, his following grew into a family he named the #BOATCREW. The music inspired the #BOATCREW, and the #BOATCREW inspired him to write more, creating a cycle as natural and unstoppable as the tides.
The Gulf Coast Crossing w/Creola
Later that year, the ocean returned to write the next chapter. The owner of a sailing catamaran yacht offered Matt the chance to buy her—a vessel named Creola after a Jimmy Buffett song. From the moment he stepped aboard in Florida, he knew she was part of his destiny. Sailing her home to Texas was no smooth passage. After nearly being swept away by Hurricane Helene, which devastated towns along his route, Matt battled Hurricane Milton, which hurled 20–25 foot waves against him and tore his mainsail, causing him to limp into Carrabelle for repairs. Yet even in the storm’s fury, the ocean gave back. Strangers in Carrabelle helped him recover, and Matt repaid their kindness with a dockside acoustic set. In Pensacola, he played for his first true coastal crowd, who danced to his songs beneath the Gulf sky. Those nights proved what he had long felt—the Gulf Coast was where his music belonged.
The Boat House Studio
When he finally returned to Texas, Matt brought with him a tide of new songs born from the journey. Performing at open mics in Houston and Galveston, he carried the energy of the sea into every room, his songs crashing against audiences with authenticity and heart. At home, he transformed a spare room into a studio he named “The Boat House,” where the waves of creativity kept rolling. Some songs are deep and emotional, others playful and lighthearted—from a cheeky ode to his dinghy to “To My New Lover,” a humorous love triangle between Texas margaritas and coastal daiquiris. Together they reflect the dual nature of the ocean itself—sometimes calm and reflective, other times wild and full of fun.