Richard L. Matteson Jr. (guitar, lead & back-up vocals) is a nationally recognized guitarist and author. He has written or been included in ten books by Mel Bay publications in Pacific, Missouri. His ninth book for Mel Bay, "Right-Handed Arpeggio Forms For Acoustic Guitar," a classical/fingerstyle guitar technique book, was published in 2002 and is still in print. His new book, Mel Bay's Bluegrass Picker's Tune Book (279 pages with 213 bluegrass songs with stories and info about the songs) was just published in May 2006. Seven of Matteson's books have been based on folk songs or early American gospel songs.
He was the acting President of the Piedmont Classic Guitar Society from 1989 until 2005. From 2006-2007 Matteson was the Program Director. During his tenure managing the society, the PCGS has hosted concerts by most of the great solo guitarists of our time. Matteson has organized concerts with Manuel Barrueco, the dedication concert for Celedonio Romero , and Christopher Parkening.
Matteson teaches guitar, voice, bass, banjo, dulcimer, dobro, and fiddle at Mom's Music in Louisville, KY. He has taught college level guitar courses as director of Winston-Salem State and Salem College guitar programs.
He has written articles and been featured in workshops in such national publications as Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Soundboard Magazine, and Guitar Review Magazine.
Matteson has recorded 4 CD's of fingerstyle arrangements for solo guitar for Mel Bay Publications. He also has solo guitar recordings of three ragtime (Scott Joplin) tunes. In 1996 Matteson performed his ragtime piece, Tar-Heel Rag at half-time of the UNC basketball game in Smith Center before 14,000 fans. A solo recording of the Tar-Heel Rag is also available.
He has several other ensemble recordings available besides the 2 CD's with Bluegrass Messengers. A recording is available of Matteson's original works for guitar and string quartet was done at Salem College at a concert in the Piedmont Classic Guitar Society Fall series. A recording of Matteson's 1992 performance of three pieces for guitar, harmonica, and cello at the Chet Atkins concert in Reynolds Auditorium is available.
Chet Atkins and Richard Matteson backstage at Reynolds Auditorium. Matteson opened for Chet.
Besides his original compositions, Matteson recorded some of his original songs in "True Blue" in 1989 with his brother and harmonica player, Jeff Matteson. A later album of original songs with a Christian message was recorded in 1998.
Matteson has performed with or shared the stage with Chet Atkins, regularly with jazz legend Charlie Byrd, Doc Watson, as well as a host of his contemporaries such as Martin Simpson, Muriel Anderson and Preston Reed. He has played such large festivals as the Merle Watson Festival in Wilkesboro and performed and done workshops at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Concerts in Nashville.
After concert shot with Roy Clark and Richard Matteson and Rhonda Ladd, Richard's first wife. On stage Roy said "I don't know how anyone can play so many notes at one time" after hearing Matteson play a flamenco piece.
He resides in Louisville, KY. Richard has started a series of bluegrass paintings he calls: The Bluegrass Series. He has completed eight bluegrass paintings with the lyrics to the songs included on each painting.
His hobbies include writing novels, painting artwork, composing, doing illustrations for books and magazines, bridge, chess, and sports.