Tribute Artist MATT STONE
Puts Heart And Soul In His Performances Story by Deborah Welky Photos by Abner Pedraza
Wellington teenager Matt Stone grew up watching the television show “Full House,” featuring John Stamos as the leatherjacket-wearing rock musician Jesse helping his brother-in-law raise three daughters. But never mind the girls — it was the music that captivated him. Although Stone originally favored the music of Led Zeppelin, legendary rock ’n’ roll pioneer Elvis had always been “a character in my mind,” he explained. As he became more aware of the music and the legend, it became something he wanted to emulate. When Stone, now 15, found a leather jacket upstairs at home and began singing “Hound Dog,” his career as a youthful Elvis tribute singer began. He started off slowly, singing in the living room. Then there was that one time he broke into Elvis songs while reading Christmas books to senior citizens. “They loved it,” Stone recalled. However, it was a fateful family trip to Memphis that included a visit to Elvis’ home Graceland in 2015 that really kicked it into high gear. “I was out back at the guest house of the Graceland hotel,” Stone said. “My dad threw me in front of everybody, and I did a couple of songs. I made $80 in tips in 10 minutes!” That’s when father and son knew they were onto something. wellington wellington the the magazine magazine || august august 2018 2018
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