Artist description Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved features electric and acoustic guitar and vocals, dobroand pedal steel, Harmonica, upright and electric bass, and drums.

Music Style Folk/Country and Afrobilly

Musical Influences Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt, Paul Pena, Taj Mahal, Chet Atkins, Bill Monroe

Similar Artists John Prine, The Gourds, Richard Buckner, Jimmie-Dale Gilmore, Bob Dylan

Artist History Nearly Beloved was formed 6 years ago when Matt Lax was still in the South African/World Beat band Zulu Spear. Matt grew up playing bluegrass and country and learned to play electric and acoustic African pop guitar in his early twenties using many of the same cross picking techniques used in American roots music. Nearly Beloved released its first CD "Wanderer's Dream" in May of 1998. This all acoustic CD features Sonya Hunter, Paul Pena, and drummer Kenny Wollesen. The band is currently moving into the Afrobilly genre which combines the picking styles of Chet Atkins and Doc Watson with the Zulu, Sukouse, Mbaklanga, and High Life guitar styles of South Africa, Cameroon,and Ghana. Currently Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved are working on a new CD tentatively titled "King of the Afrobilly" (depending on how the tracks come out, or if any challegers to the throne surface in the next six months). It is slotted for a Spring release on the Attaboy label. The CD will feature Kenny Wollesen (Bill Frissel, Julian Lennon, Tom Waits) and Scot Amendola (Charlie Hunter Group, T.J. Kirk, Stinkbug) on drums, Paul Olguin (Mazzy Star, Dallis Craft band), on electric bass, Joe Kyle (Trailer Park Rangers), and Rob Garner on Acoustic Bass, and the steel and harmonica of Nearly Beloved stalwarts Pete Lax and Dave Zirbel.

Group Members Matt Lax on electric and acoustic guitar, Dave Zirbel on Pedal Steel and Dobro, Pete Lax on harmonica, Rob Garner on upright and electric basses, and Dave Rubin on drums.

Instruments Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Dobro and Pedal Steel, Harmonica, Mandolin, Upright and Acoustic Bass, and Drums.

Albums Matt Lax and Nearly Beloved, "Wanderer's Dream", 1998 Attaboy Records. Zulu Spear "Welcome to the U.S.A.", 1991 Capitol Nashville

Press Reviews Sunday, June 7, 1998 "Matthew Lax's Roots Run Deep", San Francisco Chronicle, Datebook/Lively Arts/NightlifeIt's always been about the roots for Matt Lax, a guitarist and songwriter who will celebrate the release of his debut CD "Wanderer's Dream," on Friday at The Hotel Utah. As a youngster in Los Angeles, Lax caught his family obsession (six brothers, five sisters) with the folk melodies of the 1970's. He heard Emmylou Harris and The Hot Band in the hippie haven known as Topanga Canyon, and he never looked back. Long based in San Francisco, Lax also mastered the tythms of West Africa during a 10-year stint with the Afro-beat band Zulu Spear.These days he mostly fronts Nearly Beloved, a showcase for his Dylanesque vocals, songwriting in the personal tradition of Texan Townes Van Zandt, and some downright pretty picking."This is the kind of music I played when I was a kid," Lax says of the CD, recorded with the backing of Nearly Beloved and friends including singer Sonya Hunter, Bay Area blues veteran Paul Pena and sometime Tom Waits drummer Kenny Wolleson. "I started playing guitar when I was 9, and blugrass and country were the first things I learned."The record includes the subtle African influence that has percolated in Lax's head since he left Zulu Spear to concentrate on a more solitary sound. One cut features a "throat singing" contribution from Pena in which the bluesman hums and doo-wops in otherworldly tones. Pena, who wrote the Steve Miller hit "Jet Airliner," learned the vocal technique after tuning in to a shortwave broadcast from Radio Moscow featuring the Tuvcan people, who have perfected the ominous and enchanting sound. Pena will open the show at the Utah.-Bill Kisliuk

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Location San Francisco, California - USA

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