MATC MUSIC Occupations Program Success Stories - Rick Waggoner

It was back in 2002 when I started the MATC Music program. Prior to that I tried culinary arts school and other career fields, but couldn't really find anything I liked. I'd been playing guitar since I was 13, but all I really knew was the cool parts of songs. Now that I think about it, I don't even think I knew the pentatonic scale. The MATC Music faculty took me right in and helped me figure out that music was the path I wanted to follow career wise. One thing I really liked was that you have to learn a couple instruments and take a couple voice lab classes besides your main instrument. That right there makes you more valuable, which in return helps job security whether its playing or teaching.  I can't thank the music teachers enough for how they helped me. They did more then what they had to, and that's something I'll never forget. They helped me learn a lot in a short period of time.  To this day I still follow the practice habits they instilled in me, I also follow the advice they'd give me business wise. Since 2004 I've made my whole income from music whether its teaching or playing. In the beginning it was mostly from teaching but slowly it became all playing. I won a WAMI award in 2007 and 2008 for country band of the year playing with Geoff Landon and I've opened up for national acts such as Gretchen Wilson, Luke Bryan, Eddie Money, and Bret Michaels just to name a few. I've even played on stage with the 80's band Survivor.

2 gigs that stick out the most are when I played a late slot at Summerfest. Geoff Landon opened for recording artist Clay Walker that night, and a lot of my family came out to see. I also got to play The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake Iowa. Buddy Holly played his last show there so you could imagine the energy that you felt playing on that stage. Since 2009 I've been touring the mid-west with variety bands; Tammy and The Bad Boyfriends and The White Ties, playing casinos and an occasional Honky Tonk. I now work out of Nashville Tennessee and I absolutely love it. Because of the faculty and the music courses I'm making a living doing what I love to do. I want to give a big thank you to Steve Peplin, Ben Hans, Jack Grassel, Hal Miller, Robbie Heighway, Terry Smirl, and the rest of the MATC music teachers. You guys are awesome!!!

http://thewhiteties.net

http://waygoner.com

MATC MUSIC Occupations Program Success Stories - Jon Nueberger

Most high school students are undecided about their future, but that wasn't the case for me. The college I had in mind after I would graduate from high school was MATC. I chose to go to school at MATC because I knew deep down in my heart that music was my passion. I've played guitar since 2003 and I was already gigging in several garage bands the following year. I may have been a rock star while going to high school, but there were some things that I was lacking back then. That would mostly be anything related to music theory. By the time I started taking music classes at MATC in 2007, it didn't take long for me to fit in with my fellow classmates. And the instructors who taught these music courses couldn't have been better! My favorite MATC music instructor would have to be Hal Miller. Hal had strong beliefs in me when I first started out. And being swamped with gigging, teaching, or grading assignments, he can always find the smallest amount of free time to help students who're in need. He taught the music reading and music theory courses at MATC, which I'm glad signed up for. 

I've played in many ensembles, which helped me to expand my knowledge of playing genres or songs I thought I would never have played in my life. I also had some kick-in-the-ass experiences on reading sheet music for the very first time. Steve Peplin's guitar classes was the one course that stuck in my mind the most. That was when I learned how to read sheet music and play jazz chords. I remember learning these jazz/blues chords while our class was going through exercises from Jack Grassel's play-along book. The book came with a CD for students to practice with, which definitely helped me get through the entire guitar course.

Another good lesson I got out of MATC was that music can pay the bills. Thanks to Ben Hans' music business course, I've learned from a musician and a business owner's point of view in the music business world. All I've learned from MATC helped me to form my current band "Jonny T-Bird & the MPs". Before I eventually graduated from MATC, I formed the band with a few other MATC music students. I'm proud to say that the band's still going strong today. The MPs and I had the honor of playing at a number of restaurants, bars and festivals throughout southeastern WI. My proudest moment with this band was playing at last year's "Waukesha BluesFest" where Coco Montoya topped the bill!

Soon, I'm graduating from Carroll University (which I transferred to after graduating MATC) with a Bachelors' Degree in Music Business this May. It's a little hard for me to say on what will happen next, but all I know is that I'm going to continue playing music and doing gigs with my band. Thank you, MATC Music Department for all your hard work on making me who I am today! You guys rock!

Jon Neuberger

www.jonnytbird.com

www.facebook.com/jtbmusic

www.reverbnation.com/jonnytbirdandthemps