MATC Music Occupations Program - Success Stories - Bill Eastep

My MATC Music story starts when I was recording an album with Kirk Tatnall in 1989. During the mixdown, we were listening to one of the songs and Kirk played some really cool implied passing chord type stuff, which just blew my mind. I asked Kirk, "What chords did you play", and he told me. I tried to comprehend what he just said, but his music theory was MUCH stronger than mine. Then I asked Kirk, "Wow, where did you learn that?" and he said..."MATC"! At that moment that I knew I had to go to MATC to learn what he had learned. I enrolled in the Music Occupations Associate Degree Program. My favorite instructors were Jack Grassel, Jerome Spencer, Harold Miller, and Berkley Fudge.  Studying at MATC was absolutely invaluable to both my own personal musical growth and my career. I not only learned more than I could have imagined from the teachers, but learned a lot from my fellow students as well (Ben Hans, David Robinson, Cory Coleman and more). There are other music programs and instructors, but MATC is a real musical community, and it was pure joy to be there.

In January 2012, I drove 20 hrs straight to Fargo, North Dakota from my home in Tennessee and joined The Great Outdoors band. Last year I had a BLAST playing in two EXCELLENT blues bands, Cee Cee James and Reverend Zack.  My family is still in TN, which leaves me quite lonely, but thanks to Skype and a $10 webcam, we do get to see each other.

I'm staying busy on the road. My second album is going to be an all blues album, which is 75% written. I'm writing in my spare time, or as inspiration strikes. I'm in a terrific band, no one tells me what to do, or how to play, or what to sound like. I just get to do my own thing. Everybody Wins!


                 Primary website: http://www.billeastep.net

                 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/william.eastep

                 Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thebilleastepband

                 Current band schedule:http://artistdata.sonicbids.com/the-great-outdoors-band/shows/