Belleville Live: Matt Stell

It’s an insight the Arkansas native has long taken to heart. In ???? ?????'s case, heroes and influences stretch from Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, through Alanis Morissette and Oasis, to Miranda Lambert and Jason Isbell. But through the endless one-nighters, opening slots, and writers’ rooms that constitute paying dues, he learned what true artists always learn-that the best tribute is not imitation but transformation-finding the place inside that connects with those influences and turns them into a unique and honest voice. He has learned that lesson well.

“The music I make now is mine because I believe it and it’s true,” he says. “That’s what I can contribute, and that’s how I see myself fitting in. The currency of the realm is authenticity, and I think there’s room for mine.”

That’s something he proved with back-to-back No 1s that put him in the forefront of this era’s artist-songwriters, and he proves it again with One Of Us, an EP that establishes him as an artist of real depth and vision.

The breakthrough came with the 2x Platinum “Prayed For You,” the only debut single to top the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2019. The Platinum follow-up, “Everyone But On,” made him one of just a handful of new artists to hit the top twice in a row in six years. In the process, he racked up more than half a BILLION total global streams across his catalog while surpassing 27 million views alone for the official music video for “Prayed For You.”

He quickly became one of his generation’s busiest and most visible artists, appearing on Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Bachelor in Paradise, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s NoLateShowMeMusic digital series. Along the way, he performed the national anthem for major NFL and NASCAR events, plus debuted at the ????? ??? ???? with about 150 friends and family members in attendance from his hometown.

Special Guests:

Vince Moreno

Gavin Flynn

Gates open at 5pm

Showtime at 6pm