JubileeCast

Matthew West

BIO

Matthew West was born Matthew Joseph West on April 25, 1977 in Downers Grove, Illinois. A regular fixture in his father's church, West came to the attention of the music industry as a songwriter after attending the Gospel Music Association's Music in the Rockies event. He was offered a songwriting deal and found himself writing songs for established artists including Billy Ray Cyrus, Rascal Flatts and Natalie Grant. West continued writing his own songs and eventually signed with Universal South Records.

Matthew is signed to Sparrow Records.

Married to Emily on May 10, 2003, the have two daughters, Luella Jane ("Lulu") and Delaney Ruth.

Notable Quotes:

- "My dad has been a minister for 35 years so I've spent pretty much my whole life in church. I'm so thankful for my upbringing with such amazing parents, but I have struggled over the years to stay fresh in my faith. At a certain point, I think I mastered the art of looking, talking, and acting like a "good" Christian. I learned how to put up a front, and make everyone around me think I had it all together, even if my heart was not in it. The thing is, dressing up, going to church, dropping a twenty in the offering plate, those things are all well and good, but that doesn't make you a Christian. God is way more concerned with the condition of our hearts than our outward appearance." (from About.com interview)
- "It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real. And it’s about offering God your whole life, and asking him to help you avoid the pitfalls of a lukewarm life." (from About.com interview)
- "There is no gift greater than the gift of the Savior."(from Patheos.com interview)

Trivia

- In April of 2007, Matthew West lost his voice. Doctors discovered a vascular polyp and hemorrhaged blood vessels on his vocal chords. After surgery, he was unable to speak at all for two months while he healed and doctors weren't sure he would ever sing again.
- West started a nonprofit organization called Population We. The ministry works to offer help through an extended network of providers to those with physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
- His debut single, "More," held the #1 spot on R&R’s Christian Adult Contemporary singles chart for a record-breaking nine weeks and went on to be named Christian Song of the Year by ASCAP.