Matt Bissonette (born July 25, 1961) is an American bass player and vocalist. According to ''Guitar 9'', an online musicianship magazine, he has played bass and other stringed instruments on at least 22 albums, with music styles ranging from

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...

progressive metal Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...

and

instrumental rock Instrumental rock is rock music that emphasizes musical instruments and features very little or no singing. Examples of instrumental rock can be found in practically every subgenre of rock, often from musicians who specialize in the style. Instru ...

. Bissonette has played bass with performers such as

David Lee Roth David Lee Roth (born October 10, 1954) is an American rock singer. Best known for his wild, energetic stage persona, he was the original lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen across three stints, from 1974 to 1985, in 1996 and again fro ...

(1987–1992),

Jeff Lynne Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder of the rock music, rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970. As a songwriter, h ...

and ELO (2001),

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

(2003–2005), and currently,

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

(2012–present).Off the Record
, ''Exploring'', May 1988, p. E10, retrieved 2011-07-23Christe, Ian (2008) ''Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga'', John Wiley & Sons, He is the brother of drummer

Gregg Bissonette Gregg Bissonette (born June 9, 1959) is an American jazz and rock drummer and vocalist. He is the brother of bassist Matt Bissonette, with whom he frequently collaborates. He has played on albums by dozens of recording artists, including David ...

Career

Bissonette attended the

University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School," ...

music program. In the early- to mid-1980s, he toured and recorded with jazz trumpeter

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

. For part of his time in the Ferguson band, he played alongside his brother Gregg, which the brothers have done several times in their careers. Bissonette toured and played with Caspar McCloud for Caspar's ''Self Portrait'' album produced by

Ahmet Ertegun Ahmet Ertegun (, Turkish spelling: Ahmet Ertegün; ; – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist. Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and ch ...

for

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

1982–83 In late 1987, he replaced

Billy Sheehan William Sheehan (born March 19, 1953) is an American musician. He is best known for playing the bass guitar with acts such as Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, Niacin, and The Winery Dogs. He is also known for his "lead bass" playing ...

in the David Lee Roth band. Along with guitar innovator

Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai (; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for ...

, Matt's brother Gregg (on drums) and keyboardist

Brett Tuggle Brett Tuggle (September 23, 1951 – June 19, 2022) was an American musician who is best known for his keyboard playing with Fleetwood Mac and the David Lee Roth band. Career Early years As a child, he studied classical piano and learned guitar ...

, Matt toured the world behind the former

Van Halen Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. Credited with "restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene", Van Halen was known for its energetic live shows and for the virtuosity of its lead gu ...

vocalist's ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' #6 album ''

Skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...

''. While on tour with Roth, Bissonette sang the difficult high harmonies made famous in VH classics, such as "

Runnin' with the Devil "Runnin' with the Devil" is a song by the American hard rock band Van Halen. Released as the second single from the band's 1978 eponymous debut album. The song lyrics were inspired by the funk band Ohio Players 1974 song "Runnin' from the De ...

". In 1989, Bissonette relocated to

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

with Roth, his brother Gregg, guitar prodigy

Jason Becker Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He w ...

and guitarist Steve Hunter, to record the ''

'' top 20 album ''

A Little Ain't Enough ''A Little Ain't Enough'' is the third full-length studio album by David Lee Roth, released on January 15, 1991 through Warner Music Group. It was certified gold on April 11, 1991. Produced by Bob Rock, the album featured the lead guitar work of ...

''. Following another world tour in 1991, the Bissonette brothers left the David Lee Roth band. That year, Matt joined

Joe Satriani Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956)Prato, Greg"Joe Satriani – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". ''AllMusic''. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 28, 2014. is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and guitar teacher. Early in his ...

's band. Following Bissonette's five-year stint with Roth, he played with several other major songwriters, including

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

(of

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...

Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Despe ...

(of

The Eagles The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...

); Bissonette also played with

Julian Lennon Julian Charles John Lennon (born John Charles Julian Lennon; 8 April 1963) is an English musician. He is the son of Beatles member John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, and he is named after his paternal grandmother, Julia Lennon. Julian i ...

Steve Perry Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. He also wrote/co ...

(of

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

Ty Tabor Ty Tabor ( ; born September 17, 1961) is the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the progressive metal band, King's X. Tabor has a wide-ranging guitar style, from big guitar riffs to middling melodic passages. His use of volum ...

(of

King's X King's X is an American rock band that originated in 1979 in Springfield, Missouri. They were first called The Edge and later became Sneak Preview before settling on its current name in 1985. The band's current lineup has remained intact for m ...

Peter Frampton Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English musician and songwriter who was a member of the rock bands Humble Pie and the Herd. As a solo artist, he has released several albums, including his major breakthrough album, the live ...

, and on Gregg Bissonette's solo album.''Modern Drummer'', Volume 24, Issues 7-12, p. 116 In 2003, Bissonette reunited with his brother to back

on a US tour. In 2004, Matt played with vocalist

Boz Scaggs William Royce "Boz" Scaggs (born June 8, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. An early bandmate of Steve Miller in The Ardells and the Steve Miller Band, he began his solo career in 1969, though he lacked a major hit until h ...

on Scaggs' '' Greatest Hits Live'' CD and DVD. In June 2005, the Bissonette brothers once again backed Starr at live shows at

Irving Plaza Irving Plaza (known through sponsorship as Irving Plaza, powered by Klipsch and formerly known as the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza) is a ballroom-style music venue located within the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. ...

in New York City in June 2005; the

Genesee Theatre Genesee Theatre is a concert hall and movie palace in Waukegan, Illinois. Today, the venue has seats for 2,403 people and opened in 1927. It's both used as a vaudeville theater and cinema and hosts musical artists and shows. History In 1926, A.L ...

in Waukegan, IL for the PBS show ''

SoundStage A sound stage (also written soundstage) is a soundproof, large structure, building, or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie or ...

''; and the

El Rey Theatre The El Rey Theatre is a live music venue in the Miracle Mile area of the Mid-Wilshire region in Los Angeles, California. This art deco building was designed by Clifford A. Balch (who designed over twenty classic art deco movie theatres aroun ...

in Los Angeles, CA, as well as on several US TV appearances (''

CBS This Morning ''CBS This Morning'' (''CTM'') is an American morning television program that aired on CBS from November 30, 1987, to October 29, 1999, and again from January 9, 2012, to September 6, 2021. The program was aired from Monday through Saturday. ...

'', etc.) Following his stint with Starr, in 2006, Bissonette became the bass player for

Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut ...

, while singing in his own band the Squirts. Springfield and Bissonette collaborated on Springfield's '' Venus in Overdrive'', which Bissonette co-produced.Nagy, Evie (2008)
The Billboard Reviews: Albums: Rick Springfield ''Venus in Overdrive''
, ''

'', August 2, 2008, p. 33, retrieved 2011-07-23Springfield, Rick (2010) ''Late, Late at Night: A Memoir'', Simon & Schuster, , p. 310 That same year, he is notable for playing bass with trailer rock musical band

Globus Globus is Latin for ''sphere'' or ''globe''. It may also refer to: Business * Globus Medical, a medical device company in Audubon, PA * Globus (clothing retailer), an Indian clothing retail store * Globus (company), a Swiss department store c ...

on their album ''

Epicon Globus is a Santa Monica-based movie trailer music-inspired band consisting of a mix of producers, musicians, and vocalists. The band is led by composer and producer Yoav Goren. History Foundation Globus was founded as a result of increasi ...

''. Bissonette is currently the bass player for

, replacing

Bob Birch Robert Wayne "Bob" Birch (July 14, 1956 – August 15, 2012) was an American musician. He was primarily a session musician and sideman to a variety of notable artists. Early life At an early age, Birch was inspired to pursue music by his f ...

. Bissonette also played on the theme songs to the television shows ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

'', ''

Just Shoot Me! ''Just Shoot Me!'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from March 4, 1997, to November 26, 2003, with a total of 145 half-hour episodes spanning seven seasons. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive ...

'' and ''

The Tracey Ullman Show ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' is an American television variety show starring Tracey Ullman. It debuted on Fox on April 5, 1987, the network's second original primetime series to air following '' Married... with Children'', and ran until May 26, ...

''.

Discography

With the Mustard Seeds

* s/t (1996) * ''Red'' (1998) * ''III'' (2008)

With the Squirts

* s/t (2003) * ''Resquirted'' (2006)

With Jeff Lynne

* ''

Zoom Tour Live ''Zoom Tour Live'' was a one-off concert performed by the Electric Light Orchestra recorded originally for television, later released as a film. History After the release of the 2001 album '' Zoom'', Jeff Lynne announced a North American tour ...

'' (2001)

With Jughead

* s/t (2002)

With David Lee Roth

* ''

'' (1991)

With Joe Satriani

* ''

The Extremist ''The Extremist'' is the fourth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on July 21, 1992 through Relativity Records The album is one of Satriani's most popular releases and his highest-charting to date, reaching No. 22 on the U.S. ''Bil ...

'' (1993) * '' Strange Beautiful Music'' (2002) * ''

Is There Love in Space? ''Is There Love in Space?'' is the tenth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on April 13, 2004, through Epic Records. The album reached No. 80 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200G3: Live in Tokyo'' (2005) * '' Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock'' (2008)

With Ringo Starr

* '' Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage'' (2007) Koch Entertainment * ''

Give More Love ''Give More Love'' is the 19th studio album by English musician Ringo Starr. It was recorded primarily in Starr's home studio in Los Angeles and was released on 15 September 2017 by UM. The album features Starr's frequent collaborators such as ...

'' (2017)

With Rick Springfield

* '' Venus in Overdrive'' (2008) * '' Songs for the End of the World'' (2012) * '' Rocket Science'' (2016) * '' The Red Locusts'' (2021)

With Robbie Angelucci

* ''A Guy with an Accent'' (2002)

With Maynard Ferguson

* ''Storm'' (1982) * ''Live from San Francisco'' (1985)

With Boz Scaggs

* ''Greatest Hits Live'' (2004)

With Globus

* ''

'' (2006)

With Elton John

* ''

Wonderful Crazy Night ''Wonderful Crazy Night'' is the thirtieth studio album by English musician Elton John. It was released on 5 February 2016. It is John's first album since 2006's '' The Captain & the Kid'' to feature the Elton John Band and was written and reco ...

'' (2016)

Other solo projects

* ''Spot'' (1998) * ''Spot 2'' (2000) * ''Raising Lazarus'' (2004) * ''Oh No! Bass Solo!'' (2004) * ''Life of the Party'' (2009) * ''Disposable Planet'' (2011)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bissonette, Matt American rock bass guitarists American male bass guitarists Electric Light Orchestra members University of North Texas College of Music alumni Living people 1961 births Globus (music) 20th-century American guitarists Elton John Band members The Red Locusts members Yellow Matter Custard members

Career

Discography

With the Mustard Seeds

With the Squirts

With Jeff Lynne

With Jughead

With David Lee Roth

With Joe Satriani

With Ringo Starr

With Rick Springfield

With Robbie Angelucci

With Maynard Ferguson

With Boz Scaggs

With Globus

With Elton John

Other solo projects

See also

References

External links