Recording artist, producer, musician with an extensive career and an amazing talent for fretless bass solos…and that's just the beginning. Matt Bissonette is a rare anomaly in a land of highs and lows. He has managed to retain a fantastic sense of humor, a balanced view of success, and takes in his stride an illustrious career working with some of the greatest in the biz, including his drummer brother Gregg Bissonette, the other half of the dynamic Bissonette Brothers. As many people in the business joke, the Bissonettes bring an entire rhythm section into the recording studio!
Matt Bissonette was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 25, 1961, but grew up in Warren, Michigan, where his family moved in 1964. He has one brother, whom he affectionately calls Gregg the Egg, and a sister named Kathy. His mom and dad were both gifted musicians who instilled in their children a love for music and a strong work ethic. His dad was a drummer, and his mom played the vibes and piano.
Gregg and Matt got a call to join Gino Vanelli's band in 1986. Then at the end of the year, Matt went on the road with Sheena Easton. He toured a bit in the States, meanwhile doing a lot of session work while at home in LA. He worked with numerous advertising agencies on commercials, film, and TV projects. Once again, Momma is always right! Reading music was the ticket, even in a big pool like LA. Matt worked with artists like Christopher Cross, Brian Wilson, Jeff Lorber, Captain and Tenille, and many others.
In 1988, Matt got the call to join David Lee Roth's band with his brother Gregg. They traveled the world, recorded A Little Ain't Enough, and had a great time together. Two years later found Matt doing more session work and starting to write music. After a publishing deal with Island Music, he recorded with more bands, including Don Henley, Lita Ford, Steve Perry, and Kombo. In 1991, he and Gregg joined Joe Satriani's band. They recorded The Extremist and also toured with the band from 1991 to 1992. As with David Lee Roth, they traveled all over the world and hit a lot of countries they had never been to before.
While on the road, Matt got the itch to start another band with Gregg. They put one together called The Mustard Seeds with Doug Bossi and George Bernhardt. They have stayed together for over ten years, and Matt, George, and Doug released a CD in 2009 called Mustard Seeds III. Matt has written well over a hundred songs with the band.
It was about this time that Matt really dove into writing. And so began another chapter in his life: He got a computer, bought a house, and made a studio with a drum room! Not happy just to sit around, he recorded and released several albums' worth of material — The Squirts, Raising Lazarus, Ten By Tuesday, Jet Velvet, Oh No Bass Solo, The Closet Surfers, Spot, and Spot 2. To Matt, it didn't matter if he sold a million copies or just five — he had to write and record because it was so much fun.
And that's where we find Matt today — writing, touring, and enjoying hanging out with his family as much as possible as time flies by. Matt sums it all up: "I am grateful to God for great relationships, great friends, and living in a great State, as much as we all hate it sometimes. I am blessed with an amazing family, a great mom and dad, who I know now are hanging with God in heaven. I am a blessed man playing in my sandbox every day with music. Thank God I quit sports or I'd be looking back at a short career right now. I'll leave the sports to my son Josh."