Matt Bohannon is a songwriter and guitarist based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has been making music his whole life, guided by art, family, and a willingness to follow the work where it leads.
He is the guitarist and co-founder of The Bohannons, the rock and roll band he formed with his brother Marty Bohannon. Together, they have recorded nine studio albums and toured for over 20 years, earning a strong reputation within the rock and roll and songwriter community.
Alongside his band work, Bohannon has released two solo albums over the past four years. His most recent solo release, Go Back to Your Roots, came together as a group of songs, both new and old, recorded with a six-piece band. Featuring strings, layered harmonies, and a locked-in rhythm section, the record paired rich arrangements with deep, thoughtful songwriting.
His newest solo recording, You Said You’d Never Forget, was inspired by a $25 thrift store baritone ukulele and a decision to approach songwriting without a plan. Writing on a new instrument opened up Bohannon’s creative process, with each song built around a distinct theme. Recorded and mixed by himself at Kudzu Sound in Chattanooga, a new studio run by the Bohannon brothers, the album moves into stranger territory, blending psychedelic tones, punk-leaning edges, and roots-based rhythms with imaginative lyrics.
Over the years, Bohannon has recorded with producers and engineers including Steve Albini, Vance Powell, and Drew Vandenberg working alongside Dave Barbe. Whether in professional studios, on the road with his brother, or working independently, his approach stays the same. He leans into his creative impulses, playing songs over and over until they reveal themselves and settle into what they need to be.