Manitoba country artist Matt Zimmerman was in his element, playing a three-set solo show in front of a capacity crowd in Virden’s Legion Clubroom on Jan. 19.
“What is more small-town than a meat draw, chase the ace and some country music,” he said. Zimmerman is no stranger to Virden, having played in the Aud Theatre, accompanied fiddler friend Grayson Ross at numerous old-time dances. He also completed his music education practicum in the Fort La Bosse school division.
His musical style is self-described as “neo-trad country.”
“I’m really into that kind of traditional sounding country and kind of shy away from the country-pop side, so I’m in it for the real instruments… the real songs about emotion and feeling.”
Zimmerman’s father, who passed away in 2020, and grandfather were two of his biggest supporters and helped shape his career direction. His rural roots, growing up in Steinbach and now residing in nearby Kleefeld, also played a part.
“It all started with my grandfather,” he said. “Classic country, fiddle tunes… all that kind of stuff. He played fiddle and the slide guitar. That slide guitar was my first instrument. I really enjoyed playing that.”
CELTIC to COUNTRY
“I heard Chris Stapleton for the first time in 2014 playing bluegrass in ‘The Steel Drivers.’ That’s what kind of changed my musical path for my life so far. He was definitely my biggest influence in moving from Celtic music to country music. That bluegrass transition was really important for me.”
Since then, the singer-songwriter has delved deeper into what he loves.
“I’ve been musical my whole life, and written songs for a long time. I’ve kind of always had it as a second fiddle. I realized I’ve just got to go for it now, because life is short. So I put the pedal to the metal, started writing a bunch more, recording a lot more… .
“I also teach music part-time with Frontier School Division and they’ve been very flexible and supportive.”
Zimmerman is currently on a tour of nine communities in support of his latest release, “Farmer Town,” which he was asked to showcase for the exhibitors taking part in Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon and is featured on their recap video. The song debuted on the same day as his Virden performance.
FARMER TOWN INSPIRATION
“I’ve been really immersed in small town life my whole life,” he said. “I was on a road trip out to Shoal Lake with my grandmother and my wife and I noticed when driving down the main drag there were trains on one side and they were all spray-painted in crazy colours, and on the other side were all these small businesses…you know, the gas station, the coffee shop, the bar…there’s like one of everything in these small towns. We got back to the lake and I said “I’ve got to write that song. It’s all about these small towns. What should I call it?
“I sat out on the deck outside the camper and wrote the song. I really hope “Farmer Town” resonates with people on the prairies. It’s written to try to encapsulate the lifestyle that we all live, whether it’s in Virden…Melita…Hamiota. I think that people can really relate to the message in it.”
Zimmerman’s first two pieces, “Ranger” and “Lake Time,” came out in the summer of 2023. All three songs are available on streaming platforms.
“The way that the music industry’s going, it’s less towards an album and more towards singles and because I’m pushing in the radio direction, trying to stay in people’s ears for a prolonged period of time, putting out a new single on a regular basis is kind of the way it is.”
Zimmerman is pleased with the reception of his music, both from in-person and country radio audiences. He enjoys hearing himself on the airwaves, which he says makes it all worthwhile.
“That’s a bucket list thing,” he said. “It feels so good. It’s like you’re on a journey and there’s one of those spots where you get to stop and have a realization that you made it to a certain point that a lot of musicians don’t often make it to. I feel very fortunate and very lucky that I’ve been able to get to this point so far.”
As for what’s down the country road, Zimmerman’s goal is clear.
“The whole point of this journey for me is to try to become a songwriter for other Canadian country artists like Dean Brody, Tyler Joe Miller or Gord Bamford, not necessarily to be the one performing in front of everybody,” he said. “If I make it into the American scene too, that’d be amazing.”
Follow Matt on social media @mattzimmermanmusic or www.mattzimmermanmusic.com.
