Cape Breton vocalist and guitarist Matt Minglewood got his first career boost in 1969 with the band Sam Moon And The New Moon which was later rechristened Moon, Minglewood And The Universal Power (and finally just Moon-Minglewood Band).
With the break-up of the band, Minglewood created The Minglewood Band and released a self-titled independent album in 1976 after being rejected by every major label in the country. Persistence would finally pay off in the form of a major label deal in 1979 when they were signed to RCA.
Their 1979 self-titled debut featured two singles - the Minglewood pennded "Ain't What It Used To Be" and the Marshall Tucker tune "Can't You See" which Minglewood would eventually make his signature tune. The album featured guest appearances by Chilliwack's Claire Lawrence (saxophone), who also produced the album at Springfield Sound in London, Ontario; Terry Edmunds (guitar); plus Shari Ulrich and Nancy Nash on backing vocals.
1980 spawned the 'Movin'' album on RCA with a solid list of Minglewood compositions including the single "Rocket Fuel", while two other radio singles were written by others - "Counting On You" by Minglewood Band keyboardist Paul Dunn and "Me And My Baby" by Roy "Bim" Forbes. Claire Lawrence was brought in to produce the album again (as well as add saxophone) at Morin Heights in Montreal, Quebec.
The Minglewood Band's star was rising and RCA decided to bring in bigger production fire to try and move the band into the American eye. "Duck" Dunn was brought in to produce the third RCA release and the band recorded 'Out On A Limb' in Memphis, Tennessee at Daily Planet Studios in 1981. The album spawned two singles - "Highway To Your Heart" by Minglewood Band guitarist Mark MacMillan and "I'm Gonna Forgive You Again" by Larry Raspberry.
Though their three RCA albums sold nearly 50,000 copies each, the band made a move in 1982 to Epic Records on the CBS roster. 'Minglewood 5' was a moderately successful album before despite lack of airplay. But it wasn't long before CBS began to pressure the act to become more rock oriented. Minglewood knew the writing was on the wall for his brand of Maritime country and pulled the plug on the band, before the label did, in 1984.
Minglewood went solo and assembled a new backing band featuring former Minglewood Band drummer Bobby Woods, piano player John Lee (ex-Dutch Mason), bassist Grant Leslie, and harmonica player Roly Platt.
Minglewood signed to Savannah Records and released his debut album 'Me And The Boys' in 1985. The title track was the first single/video and with a cover version remade by American Charlie Daniels, Minglewood launched into the second phase of his music career. The second single was "Livin' Outside The Law".
Minglewood's career momentum continued through 1986 as it was fuelled by constant touring across Canada and the Top-20 success of his third single "Georgia On A Fast Train". By August of 1986 he was nominated for a Country Music Award for 'Album of The Year'.
In the Fall came single number four, "The Far Side Of Town", to unprecedented radio response. CARAS would soon nominate Minglewood as its 'Country Male Vocalist Of The Year'.
Minglewood took some time from touring to write new material the result being 'The Promise' in 1988 and featured a guest appearances by drummer Jorn Anderson (Fludd, David Wilcox), Pete Cardinali (Boomers), guitarist Jeff Healey, and former Minglewood Band pedal steel guitarist Ron Dunn.
Savannah took a unique marketing tactic and released two first singles for different radio formats - a remake of the Minglewood Band's 1982 song "Runaway" to pop radio and the Hank Williams cover tune "You Win Again" for country stations. Eddie Schwartz contributed a blues rocker and Minglewood did a take on newly discovered Rita MacNeil's "Working Man" and the third single, "Some Day I'm Gonna Ride In A Cadillac" by future Canadian country star Charlie Major.
In 1998, Matt Minglewood participated in the Guitar Mania event in Calgary with such guitar greats as Amos Garrett, Jerry Donahue (The Helecastors), Gaye Delorme, Russ Broom, Ray Montana, Jack Semple and many other renowned guitarists.
Matt Minglewood's 8th studio album, 'Drivin' Wheel', was released in 1999 on Norton Records featuring the title track written by David Wiffen.
Over the course of his career, Minglewood has sold more than 350,000 records in Canada; has two Juno Award nominations; two Canadian Country Music Award nominations; a Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Coast Music Association; and Canadian Country Music Songwriter Of The Year Award for "Me And The Boys".
A February 2000 readers poll in the 'Halifax Coast' of "The Twenty Best of Atlantic Canada Albums of All Time" chose Minglewood's 'Drivin' Wheel' and 'Minglewood Red Album' in the Top 20.
As a performer and songwriter Minglewood has made many guest appearances and produced other musician's works including Wayne Nicholson and The Cape Breton Summertime Revue.
with notes from Dick Rice.
Singles
as MATT MINGLEWOOD
1985 Living Outside Of The Law (Savannah/WEA)
1985 Me And The Boys (Savannah/WEA)
1986 Georgia On A Fast Train (Savannah/WEA)
1986 The Far Side Of Town (Savannah/WEA)
1988 Runaway (Savannah/WEA)
1988 You Win Again (Savannah/WEA)
1989 Some Day I'm Gonna Ride In A Cadillac (Savannah/WEA)
with THE MINGLEWOOD BAND
1979 Ain't What It Used To Be (RCA)
1979 Can't You See (RCA)
1979 Whiz Kid/Rockin' the Blues (RCA) 50545
1980 Counting On You (RCA)
1980 Me And My Baby (RCA)
1981 Rocket Fuel (RCA)
1981 Highway To Your Heart (RCA)
1981 I'm Gonna Forgive You Again (RCA)
1982 Crossfire/Till The Next Dream//Behind The Wheel/Runaway [12"] (Epic/CBS)
Albums
as MATT MINGLEWOOD
1985 Me And The Boys (Savannah/WEA)
1988 The Promise (Savannah/WEA)
1999 Drivin' Wheel (Norton)
with THE MINGLEWOOD BAND
1976 Minglewood [aka The Red Album] (Solar)
1979 Minglewood Band (RCA)
1980 Movin' (RCA)
1981 Out On A Limb (RCA)
1982 Smokers - Best Of (RCA)
1982 Minglewood 5 (Epic/CBS)
1992 One Caper After Another: Best Of Minglewood Band (BMG)
Video
as MATT MINGLEWOOD
1985 Me And The Boys
Compilation Tracks
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