Born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada, Matt grew up in a strong culture comprised of two elements: music and tradition. He listened to American Top 40 every Saturday. His dad would cook listening to Willie Nelson or Frank Sinatra. His cousins next door listened to everything from Broadway to British Rock, like the Beatles and The Who. Early on, Matt’s parents realized his talent for music and started him in piano lessons. He quickly absorbed as many musical styles as possible, playing in concert and jazz ensembles, singing in choir, and even playing in a high school garage rock band.
During college in Newfoundland, Matt’s parents divorced. His mother was an American citizen and decided to move back to the U.S. to be closer to her family in Arizona. After careful consideration, Matt decided to move with his mom, sensing he needed a new start and hoping to become a film-scorer. God had other plans.
Matt had been raised believing in God, but music was his religion. He had a Bible in his room and would read Genesis and Revelation because he was fascinated with “how we got here and how we’re going out”, but that was all. He knew God was real but didn’t understand how much he was loved by Him.
While attending his cousins church in Arizona, Matt was approached by the youth pastor and the music director to help out. Within two months he was led to accept Christ and to respond in serving Him in the new church community. During this time Matt restarted work on his music degree and received a scholarship from the Jazz Department at Arizona State University, where he studied Jazz Piano.
Matt was in his last year of college, unsure of what to do next, when he heard the songs of Delirious? and songwriters like Paul Baloche and Darrell Evans, as well as the Passion movement. It blew him away. It was in those simple expressions he realized his desire to do the same.
Ten years and many songs later, Maher is now traveling full time as a “Musical Missionary,” and is still involved in his local church, as well as helping out with the young adult ministry on the campus of Arizona State University. He is convinced you have to stay rooted in community if you want to lead and write for the Church as that’s where songs come from — your relationship with Christ, your immediate family, and the family of believers.
