Focusing on Hook #47 in Matt’s book, Hooks: Lessons on Performance, Business, and Life from a Working Musician, Matthew Friedman shares how he transformed from practicing law in New York City to playing the role of the Piano Man in Movin’ Out on Broadway. A tale complete with rockstar encounters, overcoming naysayers, building skill and confidence, witnessing tragedy, and years of waiting and hoping, Matthew’s story exemplifies the patience and persistence needed to pursue a dream and greater purpose.
Matthew Friedman is a singer/composer/multi-instrumentalist from New York, NY. Matthew was “The Piano Man” for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd National Tours of Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp’s Tony Award-winning musical, Movin’ Out, performing across the United States, Canada, and Japan. He was one of only eleven people to hold this position, dating back to the show’s premiere in 2002. He also played keyboards for Jersey Boys on Broadway for more than eight years and the guitar/keyboard chair for the most recent production of Smoky Joe’s Cafe. Matthew leads his corporate event band, Stiletto, which covers the music of Billy Joel and Elton John, and other classic rock greats. He also performs dueling pianos all over the eastern seaboard. In 2019, he was invited to play the part of “The Piano Man” once again—this time for the legendary Lords of 52nd Street, Billy Joel’s original band.
Matt Wilson gained national exposure as the “Piano Man” in the First National Tour of the Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp’s Tony-award-winning musical Movin’ Out. In 2005, the Texas State Senate honored Matt with a resolution for his achievements in Fine Arts, and he was accepted to the 2016 - 2018 Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster. Matt continues to tour with his band, headlining numerous public, private, and social events of all sizes.
In 2021, Matt released his first book, Hooks: Lessons on Performance, Business, and Life from a Working Musician, available on Amazon and iBooks.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.