There’s no stopping him

Freshman Drew Matthews: a rising guitar star

Gracie Elmer and Jack Wanninger
February 15, 2019

Andrew Matthews’ first encounter with an instrument seems almost stereotypical.

“My first memory of having a guitar in my hands was when I found an old guitar in the garage and asked my dad if I could play it,” Matthews said.

However, even learning some basic chords proved difficult for him.

“Later that day, I remember desperately trying to play an open C chord and giving up because I my fingers couldn’t stretch that far,” Matthews said.

Despite the difficulty he was faced with at that time, Matthews (currently a Noblesville High School freshman), recently stole the show at the jazz winter concert.

“His solos were really engaging and the audience loved them,” said Bethany Robinson, the Director of Jazz Ensembles at NHS. “The crowd really responded to Drew’s playing in a way I haven’t seen before.”

Mastering any skill can take a lot of time and effort. Fortunately for Matthews, the hard work he puts into improving his guitar skills has allowed him to take off in the NHS jazz program.

“Every student comes into the classroom with their own unique experiences, and Drew is no different. He has been working very hard to become accomplished at an earlier age than most,” Robinson said. “[Drew] has a gift to be able to solo in different keys, and tackle any music we’ve put in front of him so far without fear.”

Before he discovered his own love for guitar, Matthews admired the work of several other musicians.

“I became inspired by listening to the blues legends such as B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan,” Matthews said. “I always wanted to play on a stage like them and be able to play the music they wrote.”

Despite being in his first year of high school, Matthews was placed in the Jazz II Ensemble.

“Going from middle school to high school immediately puts a new level of music and challenge on any musician’s plate,” Robinson said. “While most freshmen are in a beginning jazz band, Drew is in one of the intermediate jazz bands, so he’s getting a higher level of music in class than what he’s experienced before.”

Mark Miller, a junior who plays the electric bass in the same jazz ensemble as Matthews, met him at the beginning of the year and admires his commitment to the ensemble.

“One of the biggest things is that he puts a lot of work outside of the classroom,” Miller said. “A lot of people just show up to class and don’t put in any work outside of class, but Drew does.”

Even when he’s not playing in the school’s jazz program, Matthews plays with his personal band, “Indy Gorgeous Club.” Additionally, he’s aiming to continue playing in bands in the future.

“I plan to [continue playing guitar], and I hope to go to college [to study] music,” Matthews said. “I also hope to meet some musicians in college and start another band.”

However, Matthews is determined to keep on improving.

“The sky’s the limit for Drew. He accomplishes everything he sets out to do. With that perseverance and tenacity, there’s no stopping him,” Robinson said. “Even if it’s not music, Drew can do anything he has a passion for, and [he] will be successful at it.”