Matt Shultz (singer)

For other uses, see Matt Schultz (disambiguation).

Matthew Ray Shultz
File:Cage The Elephant at Lollapalooza BR 2012.png
Background information
Born	(1983-10-23) October 23, 1983
Origin	Bowling Green, Kentucky
Genres	Alternative rock, indie rock, garage rock
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboard, synthesizer, percussion
Associated acts	Cage the Elephant, Perfect Confusion, Left Nostril

Matthew Ray Shultz (born October 23, 1983) is the lead singer and occasional guitarist for the American rock band Cage the Elephant. Matt also plays guitar on the bonus track "Cover Me Again" off of their self-titled album.

Matt Shultz was raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, along with high school friends and other band members, his older brother Brad Shultz (guitar), Daniel Tichenor (bass, backing vocals), Lincoln Parish (ex lead guitar), and Jared Champion (drums, percussion).

Matt is known for his unpredictable stage persona and can be seen cross-dressing, stage diving, crowd surfing, crowd walking and writhing around on stage during Cage the Elephant's live performances.

Musical influences

Shultz cites bands such as the Pixies as influential on his vocal style, explaining that he discovered them alongside other punk bands while living in England during the recording of Thank You, Happy Birthday.

Previous career

Before starting Cage the Elephant, Matt worked in construction as a plumber. He said in an interview with 'Rock it out! blog' for 'Consequence of Sound' that he felt if he didn't quit that job, he would be stuck there for the rest of his life. He therefore did quit and worked at a sandwich bar with his brother, Brad, who had previously worked in telemarketing.

Personal life

Matt grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his brother, Brad, who is a year older and also in Cage the Elephant. They came from a poor background and were sometimes teased for this. Brad was called 'Poor Boy' by kids at their school. Their dad, a musician, is also called Brad and their parents separated when the brothers were young. After the divorce, their mother dated Matt's football coach leading him to quit the team and play music in a state of rebellion.

Matt married his fiancé Juliette Buchs, French actress and model, at the beginning of 2014 in a civil ceremony in the Warren County Courthouse, Bowling Green. They celebrated the marriage in August of the same year with family and friends in Rennes, France- where Juliette is from and a later celebration in America in October.

External links

Cage The Elephant (2009). Cage The Elephant. http://www.cagetheelephant.com/biox/?pagename=Bio