Matthew B. Scannell (born February 10, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Scannell is the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and founding member of the alternative rock band
Vertical Horizon
Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band, formed in Washington, D.C. Vocalists and guitarists Matt Scannell and Keith Kane started the band in 1991 when they were students at Georgetown University. The band have undergone multiple ...
.
Background
Scannell is a native of
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
.
[ He was given his first guitar when he was seven years old.] Scannell attended high school at Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy is an elite coeducational preparatory school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in the United States. It is a member of the Eight Schools Association, the Ten Schools Admissi ...
in Deerfield, Massachusetts
Deerfield is a New England town, town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. Settled near the Connecticut River in the 17th century during the colonial era, the population was 5,090 as of the 2020 census. ...
.[ He enrolled at ]Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
in Washington D.C. after graduation from high school.[
]
Vertical Horizon
In 1990, Scannell and another Georgetown student, Keith Kane
Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band, formed in Washington, D.C. Vocalists and guitarists Matt Scannell and Keith Kane started the band in 1991 when they were students at Georgetown University. The band have undergone multiple ...
, formed Vertical Horizon.[ The two began performing in Washington clubs in October 1991.] Scannell received a bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
from Georgetown University in 1992.
The duo released their first album, '' There and Back Again'', in 1992 after graduation from Georgetown.[ Scannell has since appeared as the lead vocalist of all of Vertical Horizon's albums.
]
Other activities
Singer Richard Marx
Richard Noel Marx (born September 16, 1963) is an American adult contemporary music, adult contemporary and pop rock singer-songwriter. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Marx's Richard Marx (album), self-titled debut album went tri ...
and Scannell collaborated to release the albums '' Duo'' in 2008 and '' Duo Live'' in 2010. On June 8, 2011, Scannell appeared at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, with actor Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...
. Scannell and Jackman were invited to perform as guests of Marx.[
]
References
External links
Songfacts: Interview with Matt Scannell
Vertical Horizon
American pop rock singers
American rock guitarists
American male guitarists
American rock songwriters
American male singer-songwriters
Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts
Georgetown University alumni
Deerfield Academy alumni
Musicians from Worcester, Massachusetts
Living people
Guitarists from Massachusetts
1970 births
21st-century American singers
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