The Voice that Can't Be Silenced
Inveterate storyteller Beverly Matthews credits her gift of gab to being the daughter of a Southern Baptist Deacon. “You stand in line at Walmart long enough and you’ll find out what I have to say because I never meet a stranger and I get along with almost everybody.” Bev has a lot about herself to tell.
Although her parents were asked to have her aborted in order to save her mother's life, one can expect to hear great stories from Bev as she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior when she was eight years old, began her public performances at a slumber party when she was nine, took her first voice lesson at the age of thriteen and he said, “you’re tone deaf, unrhythmical, and should never sing in public," picked up sports equipment at the YMCA, was offered an apprenticeship to audition at the New York Metropolitan Opera Company at the age of twenty, worked as a librarian, began performing on national television at the age of twenty-one and she has sang for three Presidents of the United States thus far. "Let me share my testimony as I tell how God called me out of depression which is a prison of the mind, child abuse, and domestic violence and I will show you what victorious means."
Bev started down her music path when she was not long out of diapers. As a child, she enjoyed singing with her daddy and recorded her first song, “Jesus Loves Me” at the age of two. "Music saved my life," she said. Beverly also has said that her own mother asked her to give up her dream of a songwriting career and get married. However, her father continued to believe in her and encouraged her.
Bev continued gathering first-hand musical experiences, taking particular notice of rock and roll and Motown the she enjoyed playing at home on her stereo. She bought 45’s of various kinds of music like Billy Preston, the Monkey’s, the Osmond Brothers, the Jackson Five, Aretha Franklin, and the legendary Elvis Presley. Bev got a taste of country music when she was four years old and visited her Grandma Matthews' house. They would dance in the living room while watching Porter Wagner and Dolly Parton perform on television.
Like most, Bev paid her dues over the next fourteen years. While working as a secretary by day, she played out her musical passions by night at home and later walked music row in Nashville four times to ask someone to listen to her songs. While taking one of her trips down music row, she was given ten minutes by the Vice President of Diadem Records in the United Artist Tower to play her song, “TOGETHER” in 1990. She signed four songs with their record label over the coming weeks. “When I received my first songwriting contract, everyone told me how great I was and how famous I would soon be. You learn pretty quick that everything everyone says doesn’t happen right away.”
Bev drew an opening slot for the fourth of July patriotic celebration in Longview, Texas and subsequently was invited to sing for President Ronald Reagan as he was to give a speech at SMU in Dallas, Texas on his return from England. “I didn’t have the opportunity to sing for President Reagan because he had a cold and his speech was cancelled. Singing for three other Presidents was quite an experience in my career.” Bev has sung for national events such as Concerned Women for America in Washington D.C. and began performing concerts across the United States in 1991. She has performed with gospel artists such as Andrea Crouch, Jessie Dixon, Alvin Slaughter and Vicki Yohe. She was offered an opportunity to record with Barbara Mandrell’s producer, Tom Collins in Nashville. Louise Mandrell liked her song, “Godly Home” and told her she wanted Bev to write for her.
Steve Greisen of Reel Productions says, “Bev is the voice that can’t be silenced." Bev Matthews does indeed have something to say. And she says it, and sings it, with an awe-inspiring and unbelievably powerful gift. She has written and recorded three albums "What Does It Take", "Run to the Roar," and "The Beverly Matthews Collection." She is currently recording her EP called "More Than Enough."
Speaker Author
