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Social justice singer-songwriter Crys Matthews. (Emily April Allen)<\/p>\nSocial justice singer-songwriter Crys Matthews is kicking off the West Coast portion of her current tour with a stop in Poway on Friday night.<\/p>\n
Matthews is an award-winning, prolific lyricist and composer who blends Americana, country, folk, blues and bluegrass, according to her bio. Her honors have included winning the 2022 International Folk Music Association\u2019s \u201cSong of the Year\u201d for \u201cChangemakers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The San Diego Folk Heritage concert will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11 in Old Poway Park\u2019s Templars Hall, 14134 Midland Road.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is my first time in Poway and my first time in the San Diego area,\u201d the Nashville-based Matthews said. \u201cI am starting on my tour after coming back from Europe where I\u2019ve been all month.\u201d<\/p>\n
The concert will feature all original music penned by Matthews. She said several of the songs will come from her recent album, \u201cReclamation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis album is both sonically and ideologically the fullest representation of who I am as an artist and as a human,\u201d Matthews said.<\/p>\n
On her website, she describes herself as \u201cA preacher\u2019s kid, a Black woman, a Butch lesbian and a proud Southerner who sings social justice music right alongside \u2018traditional\u2019 Country and Americana music.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Matthews\u2019 website, she is \u201creclaiming not just \u2026 the space Black artists have been denied in Country and Americana music, not just \u2026 the space LGBTQ people have been denied in communities of faith, not just \u2026 the autonomy women have been denied over their own bodies, she is reclaiming the South that raised her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her stated mission is \u201cTo amplify the voices of the unheard, to shed light on the unseen and to be a steadfast reminder that hope and love are the truest pathways to equity and justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Social justice singer-songwriter Crys Matthews. (Emily April Allen)<\/p>\n
Matthews said some of her music is in the style of Woody Guthrie\u2019s \u201cDeportee.\u201d In addition, many of her songs are about hope and love. Other social activist musicians who have inspired her include Holly Near and Pete Seeger.<\/p>\n
A career in music is something Matthews said she envisioned for herself, but not this career. Growing up as a clarinet player, she had planned on becoming a high school band director.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe universe had other plans for my music,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
While studying at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, Matthews said she started writing songs as a way to heal from a broken heart after a breakup with her girlfriend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI entered them in a campus talent show and won first place, so I kept doing it,\u201d she said, adding she started performing in 2007 and has been doing it full time since 2017.<\/p>\n
Matthews also said she taught herself how to play the guitar by watching videos in order to teach a girlfriend who wanted to learn. It is for that reason that Matthews said she plays \u201cupside down and backwards.\u201d Though left-handed, her girlfriend was right-handed, so that\u2019s how she taught herself. Matthews said it comes in handy if she borrows someone\u2019s guitar because most people are right-handed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seemed crazy to learn how to play twice and there are more right-handed guitars out there,\u201d she said about not playing on a left-handed guitar.<\/p>\n
Sometimes in her music Matthews will also play a suitcase drum, which is just what one might think that instrument is.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gives nice percussion, backs the guitar and gives people the beat for when they start clapping,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Inspiration for her social justice music often comes from real events.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Trayvon Martin was killed (in 2012) that was traumatic and I felt it was not right,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cIt impacted me deeply.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said Martin reminded her of a younger cousin \u201cwho is like a kid brother to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthews said through her music, she helps people have conversations about deeply personal issues. Often after her shows, concert attendees will have long conversations with her about how a song touched them.<\/p>\n
\u201cFolks connect it to so many of their stories, their history,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are often a lot of tears.\u201d<\/p>\n
Want to go?<\/p>\n
Crys Matthews concert<\/p>\n
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11<\/p>\n
Where: Templars Hall in Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Road<\/p>\n
Cost: $25 for general admission, $20 for SDFH members and free for youths 17 and under. Buy in advance at ticketweb.com or at the door.<\/p>\n