‘Catch of the Day’ – Matt Farris – “Me or The Whiskey” [AUDIO]

It's Unsigned/Indy Artist Thursday and today the focus falls on a singer and songwriter from Arizona, who found a passion for entertaining and performing as soon as he was old enough to walk and talk.

Entertaining family and friends from the moment he spoke his first word, Matt Farris' passion for entertainment has always been apparent. With an early exchange of lullabies for classic country tunes sung by his mother, the Lake Havasu City, Arizona­ native has ever since gravitated toward Country music. After graduating high school, Farris moved to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University and later to Phoenix where he became an emergency medical technician and certified fire fighter through The Glendale Community College Fire Academy, all while continuing to work on music.

A heart for helping those in need paired with an incredible talent and positive energy has allowed for the early and natural growth of a significant fan base. All of these characteristics have given Farris a strong foundation on which to build his career; one that, at the hands of another, was almost instantaneously taken away, when an altercation with two strangers trying to steal his father's truck left both Farris and his father shot.

The incident put the importance of family and music into perspective for Farris, who formed a band with his father and grandfather, both musicians themselves. Eager to get back to his music, Farris began playing out around Phoenix, continuing to build his career and fan base. In 2010, he surprised the band by entering the Colgate Country Showdown, making it into the Arizona State Finals. Encouraged by his success, Farris made the move to Nashville to further his career in 2011.

Later in 2011, Farris came to the attention of Skytone Entertainment. He recorded his first single "Redneck Radio" the same year. The single charted on both Billboard Indicator and Music Row charts, as well as hitting #1 on the Indie World Country Chart, a spot the single maintained for four weeks. Farris has been a recipient of the Music Weekly New Music Country Single of the Year Award and even got a nod from the CMT Program My Big Redneck Family, who on one episode had all the members wearing Matt Farris T-shirts.

Farris has continued his hard work, opening for artists such as Darryl Worley, Trent Tomlinson, Keith Anderson, Jason Aldean, Tyler Farr and Joe Diffie, also performing at Country Thunder on the main stage in Florence, AZ. He has also continued his charitable work, supporting both the Make a Wish Foundation and the American Cancer Society, focusing on Breast Cancer Awareness. After losing a close friend to breast cancer, he started Denise's Day, an annual benefit in his hometown which can be seen at  www.denisesday.org.

Today we spotlight the latest single from Farris. It's "Me Or The Whiskey", today's Unsigned/Indy Artist Thursday Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.