Biography
“Matheu Watson is one of the most accomplished and in-demand musicians and producers in the UK. Since the age of sixteen, the award-winning multi-instrumentalist has clocked up thousands of air and road miles in touring, contributed to more than twenty albums and appeared on television and radio alongside some of the world’s greatest musicians.
The 2009 winner of the Scots Trad Music Awards’ Best Up and Coming Artist title, Matheu began playing fiddle at the age of nine and soon afterwards taught himself to play guitar and whistle. He is now the master of more than twenty instruments, including bouzouki, mandolin and tenor banjo, and it’s this natural musicality that has led to him becoming a first-call collaborator for many leading artists.
Watson’s gigs over the past five years read like a who’s who of the folk, roots and world music scenes. These many live appearances have included performances with Cara Dillon, Julie Fowlis, Dougie MacLean, Emily Smith, Kris Drever, Heidi Talbot, Bluegrass greats Tim O’Brien and Ron Block, piping greats Fred Morrison, Paddy Keenan, Mike McGoldrick, Ross Ainslie, Jarlath Henderson, Anxo Lorenzo, fiddling heroes Bruce MacGregor, Duncan Chisholm, Tommy Peoples, Anna Wendy Stevenson, Simon Bradley, Emma Sweeney, world music luminaries Zakir Hussain and Salsa Celtica, and step dance company Dannsa. Touring has taken Matheu throughout Europe and beyond, including Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium Denmark, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, The Arab Kingdom, and the UK
He has recorded with Emily Smith, Fred Morrison, Fiona Hunter (Malinky), Cruinn, Simon Bradley, Anna Wendy Stevenson, Dr. Angus MacDonald, Sophie Ramsay and Emma Sweeney. Alongside his session work Matheu has produced two critically acclaimed, 5 star solo albums featuring notable casts including the legendary Martin Simpson, Kris Drever, Ali Hutton, Sean Og Graham and Martin O’Neill.
Matheu is also a familiar face on television having first appeared on national TV as a young boy. He has contributed to television programmes at home and abroad, including work for BBC2, BBC4, BBC Alba, BBC Ulster, BBC Scotland, STV, Sky Arts, RTE2 and ET1. Across more than twenty television series he has performed alongside Karen Matheson, Donald Shaw, Julie Fowlis, Emily Smith, The Treacherous Orchestra, Fred Morrison and Paddy Keenan.
With this formidable body of work already behind him and his reputation as a top musician continuing to spread among musicians, audiences and press alike, there is no doubt that Matheu Watson is going to be a force in music in the years ahead.”
Rob Adams (The Herald)