Creativity is at the core of Matt Cornell’s being, and a long-held obsession with Sting, ‘80’s music and the love of the bass guitar meant music chose him early on.

 

From being snuck into venues to perform professionally at 16, to playing some of the world’s biggest stages with Baby Animals, Richard Clapton, Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo, Shannon Noll, Adam Brand, and half of Cornell & Carr, Cornell is re-focusing on his solo career. Cornell embraced country when Adam Brand recognised the storyteller in the musician’s songwriting, after a life-changing move from the Baby Animals to join Brand’s band more than a decade ago.

 

After five Golden Guitar nominations and five years between his last solo single, It’s Only Midnight, and the release of his new song, Stick Around, the next chapter is a potent one for the Gold Coast artist. Manager and good friend Ian “Dicko” Dickson was a driving force behind Cornell’s new direction, encouraging Matt to embrace his rock history.

 

“This next body of work truly feels like an evolution of where I’ve come from as a Sydney musician cutting my teeth with cover bands, then performing with other acts, and, of course, my love of ‘80’s music, you will be able to hear these flavours in my next releases.”

 

The son of performers Cheryl Assange and former Delltone Wayne Cornell, his parents rehearsed shows in the loungeroom, Col Joye and Digger Revell visited regularly, while Cornell’s uncle, George Assange (aka Vic Sabrino), was influential as the first Australian to make a rock ‘n’ roll recording in 1955. Cornell is proud of his rich musical and family history including Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Asian and Pacific Islander, and, with music coursing through his veins, Cornell’s next works promise to be timeless.