#261 Matt Oakley
In this episode of Songwriter Trysts, Rae Leigh welcomes Nashville-based singer-songwriter Matt Oakley to discuss his heartfelt song "Soldier's Son," a tribute to his father and Gold Star families who have lost loved ones in combat. Matt shares his unique journey growing up as an "army brat," moving across the world, and eventually discovering his love for music. He also opens up about his songwriting process, the importance of authenticity, and how his personal experiences have shaped his artistry. They explore the emotional impact of military life on families, and the challenge of balancing creativity with the demands of social media in today's music industry.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation that dives into the heart of storytelling through song, the power of music to heal, and the resilience of those who serve. Whether you're a songwriter, a music lover, or someone looking to understand the creative process behind meaningful music, this episode offers a genuine glimpse into the life of a passionate artist.Connect with Malachi:
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Transcript
Rae Leigh: Welcome to Songwriter Trysts, the intimate connection between lovers of songwriting. We explore raw emotions and creative journeys that bring music to life. Whether you're a songwriter, a music lover, or just curious about the creative process. This is a place for you. If you're enjoying the podcast, we'd love for you to subscribe.
Please leave a review and even share it with your friends. Your support helps continue to bring our inspiring stories and conversations to the world. Thank you for being a part of the Songwriter Tryst community. And if you'd like to get involved, contact us on songwritertryst. com. Now let's dive into today's episode and hear from the guests about their own songwriting journey.
Welcome to a new Songwriter Tryst with Matt Oakley. So excited to have you. Thank you for coming.
Matt Oakley: Yeah. Thank you for having me excited to be here.
Rae Leigh: I like to start the podcast by getting the artist in their own words. Tell us who are you and where do you come from?
Matt Oakley: Yeah. Like you said, my name is Matt Oakley.
I'm a country singer currently living over in Nashville, Tennessee. I bounced around a good bit through my life. My dad was in the army. So I lived all over. I've lived in Virginia Rhode Island, South Korea for a year. I lived, I went to school in South Carolina to South Florida. But I'm now I'm up here in Tennessee.
So I'm not sure how long I'll be here. I'm sure I'm bound to move again, but I just doing the music thing, writing songs, putting songs out, doing shows and life's got me in Tennessee right now.
Rae Leigh: That's amazing. Tell me what it was like being an army brat. My dad was a Vietnam veteran, but we didn't have to travel.
He finished his time before I was born. So what's that experience been like?
Matt Oakley: Yeah. So luckily my dad did a lot of his overseas, like he was stationed overseas before we were born. Mostly we caught the tail end. When me and my sisters were young and he was in korea He was stationed in seoul and we lived out there when I was really young, but I remember all of It was my first year of school It was preschool and I remember he would drive me to preschool on his motorbike through this like south korean city and it just was like crazy to go from that to then moving to the states and then you know joining the american school system and growing up in virginia and moving around and having someone like my father who served constantly, telling us right from wrong.
So it was just, I'm grateful for it. It was, I feel like the values we were based on is cool, but at the same time it was definitely it could be a strict household at times, but he was also good on letting us be ourselves. So I think that's what lended me to be comfortable doing something like music with my life.
It just was comfortable in my own skin.
Rae Leigh: That's good. It does. It takes a special set of parents to support their children in the arts And I respect any parent that allows a child to be creative because it's it's not that common Unfortunately, so
Matt Oakley: yeah, I feel like it's it's getting a little bit more common, especially But you're definitely right.
And especially when you're younger, I feel like parents want to make sure that their kid has something stable that they're going into and it can be not that they're shooting them down, but more so like worried about making sure they're okay for the future of their lives. But luckily for me, things have now.
Rae Leigh: That's good. All right. So tell me about how did you get into music? What was the inspiration? When did it start for you?
Matt Oakley: I think I always carried this interest for it. I would always love to sing along to songs when we were in the car, even if I'm just, messing around on, I don't know, I'm not classically trained in any instrument, but I taught myself how to play a guitar and I've taught myself the basic chords on piano.
I would just be around the house, noodling with ideas and stuff. And then during quarantine, when we were locked in the house I had nothing better to do. So I was like, all right, I can't go anywhere. I can't really do anything Let me learn some songs on the piano And I posted some out on social media and it got like good pretty good response rate and reaction rate for the just being Some basic videos that I wasn't taking too serious.
Rae Leigh: Yeah,
Matt Oakley: I think like 30 40 000 views and then overnight crazy some production some producers, were hitting me up hey, let's make your own song I started doing that. And then within six to 12 months, I just developed this like deep love for it. That took my old love for music and then this like competitive drive to figure out how much better I could get with it.
And it's just kept going.
Rae Leigh: So you thought you'd just play around with it during COVID and then you were approached by a producer and they like coached you and helped you get your own music out there. What was. Like that's sounds like destiny almost, but thank you to social media. But what was that experience like?
Matt Oakley: It definitely was like, so at the time I was running a landscaping company. I ran it, I started in high school and I ran it all through college. I had it for about eight years. And when COVID happened, people still needed their grass cut. So I was still working. But I remember I posted that video like maybe like on a Friday night or something.
And the next day I loaded up my trailer with all my mowers and I went out to cut the grass. And then I got that message from this guy. And he was like, Hey, I want to make you like a beat. And then he was like, I want to like, See what you got as far as like your own ideas. And so I was like, yeah, cool.
Send it my way. Went back to work. And then the next day I had another day of a full day of cutting lawns and he sent it over. And on my way home, I'm like covered in dirt and grass and my allergies are gone crazy. And I just, I played it and it was nothing crazy, but it was just cool that it was like, Oh, this is like something I can mess around with and see if I can make my own music.
And I went home and. wrote some, I can't even remember what it was called or what it was, but I just remember in that moment, it was like, all right, there's people out there who are like, there's something here. And so I've been trying to dive in and figure out what that is. And it's just been a cool process.
Rae Leigh: So what's your songwriting process been like, or experience been like from that first experience where I guess you were top lining over a beat that was already written to where you are now.
Matt Oakley: Now it's all ground up and I'll pick up my guitar and I'll, strum a few chords or I'll, See if I fall into any finger picking melody or just maybe even just a melody in my head that I can have a more experienced guitar player come in and, mesh with the vibe and we'll figure it out.
And I do a lot of like group writing now with my closest friends. I got a kid, Justin, I live with and a kid Dylan. They're late twenties, early thirties. So not kids, but we just have like love for it. That still feels youthful when we get into it. So it's cool to like, Get in the room us three or maybe we'll bring another guy or two into it and just figure out a cool vibe that we're feeling and then I think the biggest thing now is like I try not to get in my own way if we all like an idea We just commit to making the song and we decide a week later if we like it or don't like it we don't try and figure it out too much in the moment We just ride the wave and let the song be the song and if it's worth putting out then we put it out If it's not then we don't and that's what my looks like now
Rae Leigh: Wow.
So that's been like a massive journey from just having a go. Are there any sort of things that you've learned now that you go, that's something that you're always using that you wish you had have known sooner?
Matt Oakley: Yep. 100%. I would say that one thing is like authenticity. I think in the beginning, I was trying to write a song that I thought people were going to like I was like, what do I think people might like?
And what melody do I think they might like? Or what words or what what kind of beat or acoustic or full production or even pop styles? It was like, what do people want? Versus now it's what do I want? What do I want to like, 20, 30 years from now, sit down with my kids or my grandkids and be like, this is what I did with my life.
And this was like who I was. And I didn't want that to be something that was a version of me that was chasing what, I thought people might like, or might not like it. So now it's just, what do I think is, authentic to me as stories based on my own life. And what do I think sounds good?
If I can go on my Spotify or my Apple music and play one of my songs and I really love it, that's all that I really care about anymore. So I would say the earlier and learn that as a songwriter and an artist, the better, because then you start honing your own sound and that's when you can really make it your own.
Rae Leigh: I love that. What song have you got out at the moment? You'd Like the closest to that you've been able to achieve with what's already out there.
Matt Oakley: Yeah, I'd say Probably the one that I dropped Most recently and we touched on things in the beginning of this but it's called soldier son Yeah and it's a tribute to my dad and it's a tribute to gold star families who have lost loved ones in combat and it's basically just how from my perspective what it was like to grow up with my father being in the army for 22 years and all the people that he's allowed me to meet and the fundraisers we went to and the charities that he's a part of and ultimately Performing this original song that I had at a usa, convention.
It was just like it's it was so authentic to me You because it was just about my life and it was paying tribute to those who have served in the United States military. And to see the reaction from people who have never met me and just are seeing me perform it for the first time was really awesome.
And it was just, it was so true of form to who I am that it felt good to be out. So I'd say soldier son is the most just A to Z on me and my life. And I love that. That's
Rae Leigh: what's it like in America for the defense force? Cause I, my last single was called the war that stole my daddy's life and it was about my dad being in the Vietnam war and the experience they had over here.
And I just same, it was like just a personal experience, but over here I didn't realize until it was, doing interviews on radio that I'm like, this is actually quite a politically charged song. Not that I've realized that, but because it's not just the soldiers that are impacted. It is the family, the children, the wives and all the pieces they have to pick up to support.
the soldiers that, you know, maybe struggling with post traumatic stress disorder from whatever it is that they've gone through. What's the support like in America? What, in your area what's that culture like?
Matt Oakley: Yeah, I'd say, and I'm not sure when it happened and it's unfortunate that it did, but it's surprising to see that something as amazing as the men and women who serve this country has become a political Concept or a political idea that politicians use as maybe a and I don't want to even say they're a It's hard.
It's hard to find the words because I you want to be delicate with this kind of stuff but you don't It and I don't want to be political because I think that's not what this song was it was just i'm proud to be the son of a soldier and I have realized That I played a festival called Patriots Fest this spring and it was a non political charged event.
It was just, we're here, we're going to play music just a full day of good music and, honoring our troops. There were veterans there, we had paratroopers flying in. It was amazing. It was an awesome event. But a bunch of the feedback in the area was as if it was some super pro Republican, anti Democrat thing.
And it's just not what it was. And so it's it's hard to, in this day and age, get your point across without it being torn one way or another, good or bad. So I just, it's one of those things where it's this was just written to be a thank you to those who serve. And that's what it is. And anyone, if anyone wants to say it's a politically charged song, that's more on them than it is on the song.
The song is the song. That's what it is.
Rae Leigh: Yeah, mine was all about supporting the soldiers and separating the soldier from the political war agenda. I guess can be hard, especially for those who aren't involved or don't know, a personal friend or family member that have has served. It's an interesting one.
And it's so sad that happens and you can't control that. It doesn't matter what we're talking about,
like we're, we live in such safe affluent countries that we should be grateful and support where the support is needed. Tell me about your Your influences so if you could collaborate with anyone in the world dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Matt Oakley: Yeah I've said in the past so dead or alive, like someone to sit down and have just like a musical conversation with. I think Elvis Presley would be my number one, just because he's so cool and he changed music and he was this icon and I went to Graceland a couple years ago, and it was just so the aura around what he did in the music space is so cool.
It would just be cool to sit down, but someone i'd want to collaborate with and like just sit down and write a song with would be like a riley green Or luke combs. Yeah, those two people are very I put those two at the top of my wish list down the road once I'm once I'm, making the rounds, I would love to sit down with someone like that and just write a, write an authentic song about, talk about their life, talk about my life and see what comes from it.
It's just, it's a cool thing to think about and shoot towards. So I'd say Riley Green and Luke Combs would be my, the dream collaboration down the road. All right. Write that one down. I'm sure it'll happen at some point. Tell me about. Yeah, just manifest it. That's exactly right. It's scary how well it works.
Rae Leigh: What's probably been the biggest highlight and then what's been the biggest low light,
Matt Oakley: to be honest, I think the biggest highlight and this is going to be I don't know if this is like a cheesy answer but i'd say the biggest highlight would be Just like this full acceptance that i've gotten to with myself where it's like this is what I do This is what I love doing whereas in the beginning.
It was a lot of I wonder what people will think. I wonder if it'll be supported. I wonder if people think it's good. I wonder if people think it's bad. I don't care anymore. It's this is what I love to do. And this is where God has me in my life. And it's what I believe I'm supposed to be here doing.
And I love doing it. And the people I'm doing it with are incredible people. And my life's been so much better since then. That acceptance point. And so I think that's the biggest highlight of this whole journey is it's not, I've done big shows that I've been super proud of, I've written incredible songs that I'm super proud of and but I would say the biggest thing is like when I, when I wake up and go to bed and I'm able to, You know coming to my home studio in nashville.
It's If 15 year old me could see this he'd think i'm the coolest person ever. So that's the kind of that's and i'm not like This is me saying i'm not the coolest person ever but that version of me Would be so happy with who I am now And so that's so good I'd just say that moment would be the acceptance of this is what I do and i'm proud doing it would be the biggest highlight I'd say the low light would be it's one of those things where it's like It feels like nowadays social media is such a powerful tool, but you have to almost have a presence outside of music and the music can't just be this artistic thing that's good or bad.
You've got to package it with the right brand and the right videos and it makes it challenging and it makes it fun and it makes it cool and you got to figure out what people like and don't like. Maybe 50 years ago when it was just the music's the music and you play it on the radio and you like it or don't like it, I don't think we're there anymore.
So trying to navigate that has been a little bit difficult, but we're working on it. So
Rae Leigh: I find it so hard. I, yeah, I'm not a fan of posting social media content three, four, five times a day. If I've got a show on, or if I've got new music coming out, like that's completely different.
I'll flood you with content and I'll just share everything. But if I haven't actually got anything to share, cause I'm in the creative process. I'm like, here's a coffee. I got nothing else to say.
Matt Oakley: I don't get necessarily hounded about it, but I'm not the best about posting. Like you said, two, three times a day, maybe two, three times a week at best, if I can sit down and find stuff.
But a lot of that was because the last year and a half has been solely dedicated to being creatively. All in on this project that this album that we're writing and now that it's finally done and turned in, I'm looking back on it like, damn, I don't have enough content about these songs. So we've got to, we've got to start churning the butter on getting content and getting videos and getting pictures and getting all this stuff out to put behind this project.
And so you definitely, it's a learning process, but we're getting there.
Rae Leigh: What's the next big thing that we should all be looking out for that we should see coming from Matt Oakley?
Matt Oakley: Yeah. So one thing that I'm really excited about is I've mentioned it briefly earlier in this talk But I performed an acoustic version of my newest single, Soldier Son. It was at the AUSA Sunbelt Chapter event, the 249th birthday for the United States Army. And they invited me to play soldier song before it was even out, but they had gotten ahold of it.
And I was I sat at this table with veterans and a table away from my father and my little sister. And I went up there and in front of hundreds of people was able to perform a song. And afterwards I met a bunch of gold star families And we capture that all in video and that video of that event and the acoustic performance will be coming out Shortly in a few weeks, you can find it on my youtube and keep up today on instagram or tiktok Just at matt oakley music, but that coming out paired with mid october.
I'm doing the national convention now for a usa so there's gonna be thousands of people there and they invited me to play the song there so super grateful and i'm super excited to be able to You know, tribute this song to the military in front of more military members and families. And just, it's, it was a really cool thing.
I got to be a part of it. I'm super grateful to be a part of it next. So I try and post content as I can. Like we said it's hard today in age, but I'll be posting videos and snippets of that on my social. So This is all content. Everything
Rae Leigh: is content. I'll share with you, you can fill in some of the gaps.
Thank you so much. What I'm going to do is I'm going to put all of your links and there'll be a blog on the website Songwritertrysts. com with this podcast, but also have any way that people can follow you, listen to your music and just keep up to date with what you're doing. Is there anything else you would like to share with other songwriters or fans of your music out there that are listening now?
Matt Oakley: I just say tap in and see if you like it. If you like it, keep listening. If you don't, if it's not for you, then that's that. I just think that there's so much music out today where I'm excited to continue to put out more and be a part of that. So if you want to, if you want to hear more of my music, you can just find me like you said, you're going to share some links.
So it's just Matt Oakley music on everything.
Rae Leigh: I think what you're doing is absolutely amazing. And it's so weird, but I have a sense of, Pride, like I'm proud of what you're doing, and I'm, I don't know, that's weird, I'm like a mum, so I don't know if that's like some mummy love, but I just think that it's important to get it there and say thank you to the soldiers and people who have served, because it is such a thankless job And yeah, I think it's incredible.
And well done for your parents supporting you and actually having the courage to go out there and give it a go. You're giving it a really good go and you're creating something amazing. So I do think you've got some sort of anointing over you that's just going to. Get you writing a song with Luke Combs, sure it won't be long.
So yeah, thank you so much for coming on and sharing. And we'd love to keep up to date with everything you're doing and supporting you as much as we can.
Matt Oakley: Yes. Thank you for the support and thanks for having me on.
Rae Leigh: Thank you.
