SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — While he is now an accomplished musician, Matthew Mayer grew up in rural Canistota, and discovered his first love at the age of 12– the piano. By the time he started high school, he was already composing his own music.
“So it probably been about 14 or 15, kind of getting into high school, and really was starting to understand what makes up a song, what chords make up a song. And when I started to figure that out, then that was fun,” Matthew Mayer said.
At just 20 years old, he gathered all of his money, and released his first album called ‘Crossing the Bridge.’
“My first album came out in 1999, 25 years ago to the year. And USD is really where I got my start in releasing music. So that support system means the world to me,” Mayer said.
After a few years working in Hollywood, Mayer decided to come back to the Midwest, so that he could pursue his music more.
“You start releasing CDs. I had another full-time job, you know, to supplement. But then when social media started happening, that really kind of opened the doors,” Mayer said.
Doors that led him to be part of 3 tours in Croatia.
“It’s hard to explain the nostalgia you have when you’re playing these same songs that you were playing in Canistota, South Dakota as a kid and being all excited. And then you’re playing in this open-air castle in Dubrovnik,” Mayer said.
But as a native South Dakotan, he is excited to bring his performance back home Thursday night.
“It’s my first time playing a true concert at Washington Pavilion at their Belbas Theater. We booked the room and when the tickets went up for sale months ago, it’s sold out in a couple of days because of the support from my friends,” Mayer said.
And while it may look like Mayer is living the dream, it took him 25 years to get to where he is now.
“It’s a grind and you just start to try to build momentum and you just keep putting it out there. And at the beginning I did it because I loved it, and now it’s fun to see some things happening,” Mayer said.
Mayer has a sold out show tomorrow night (12/11) at the Washington Pavilion, but he also is hosting a cocktail hour tonight (12/12) at the Canopy Hotel from 5 to 7 that is open to everybody.
Click here for a link to Matthew Mayer’s Spotify.
