Bio:
Much like the blues legend Marvin Pontiac that he so much admires, Matthew James Bunsen was born to racially mixed parents in New Rochelle, NY.  His mother played clarinet in the Westchester Chamber Orchestra.  His father - a fireman - never stopped admonishing the young Bunsen for playing with matches, something that seriously bugs him to this day.

After graduating New Rochelle High School, Matt moved to the Boston area and joined the Harvard University based jamband Seven Ugly Men. He also had a modicum of success as a film composer, writing the original score to the Discovery Channel hit “Dying to Please – the Dolphin Dilemma”

But after being rejected from Berklee School of Music for not being totally burning, his life spiraled into substance abuse and he aimlessly floated from job to job. After being fired as a short order cook (for continually over cooking the toast), he took to life on the road, following the Grateful Dead and then Phish. He hit rock bottom after trading his 11-02-98 West Valley City, UT ticket for a six-pack.

Seeking discipline and purpose, he enlisted in the Army where he became an explosives expert and eventually received an honorable discharge.

The rejuvenated Matt Bunsen then began to search for the roots he never had as child, moving to Texas, where his latent love for country music did blossom.  He played the Dallas bar scene in a band that ranged from pretty bad to just plain horrible.  His application to serve as an official Roger Miller channeler is currently pending. 

Matt became the music director of Matt Bunsen and the Burners, and convinced a bunch of his siblings Thurman and Vickie Lynn to start a band.  Their first album - Greatest Hits - was officially released in January 2010.