Matthew Jacquette is new to the Scenic 98 Coastal music scene. When he says he’s only been playing guitar for 9 months before ripping off some incredible riffs, you’ll get caught up in his infectious personality. He's a jokester, for sure, but the high energy and guitar skills he’s honed over the years belie his youthful exuberance.

We curate a “what to do” list each week and are familiar with many, if not all, of the local musicians in the area. I began to notice that Matthew Jacquette’s name was popping up at respected music venues like Callaghan’s, Cobalt, Manci’s, and others. I also noticed he was sitting in with popular musicians, and wondered who he was. 

When I saw that he was scheduled to play at The Book Cellar in Fairhope on a Friday night, we listed him in Tidbits and Best Bets, and Linda and I made plans to attend. We are glad we did. Uber talented, he entertained us with a sound all his own influenced by artists we all know and love. He captured the crowd throughout his two-hour performance, and his banter was fun and surprising. I half believed him when he said he had just learned to play guitar.  He told us it was his birthday, along with one of the bartenders at The Book Cellar, so it was a special evening, with birthday cake and great music. As his session ended, I introduced myself, and we promised to meet sooner rather than later for an interview.

Matthew has had a pretty great career so far, playing with some high-profile bands like Aaron Jones, who opened for the Rolling Stones in 2022. He’s toured with Aaron Jones for the last four years, playing in packed-out stadiums in Paris, Detroit, and other places. He tells me, “If it wasn’t for music, I’d be making PB & J sandwiches for everybody.”

I sensed immediately that Matthew is a quick study. Born in Miami, he grew up between there and Jamaica, and he then chased a girlfriend to San Diego. When that didn’t work out, Matthew moved to Los Angeles for a few years. “My Uncle Steve, who’s really not my uncle, who lives in Daphne, called and said he needed a guitar player, so I moved to Mobile.” It turns out, “Uncle Steve" is a doctor but also has a band, Pikki Head, a mixture of Folk and Reggae, that often plays at The People's Room in Mobile.  

Before we get into his musical background, he tells me that he just turned 35. It wasn’t really his actual birthday when we saw him play at The Book Cellar, but it was his birthday month, and the extended birthday celebration led  to bigger tips, so he played it up. We discuss birthdays for a bit. “You've got to keep going,” he says. “When people retire, you’ve got to keep moving, or you’ll lose it.”

I like his honesty. He then asks if I  have ever eaten at The Haberdasher in Mobile. I have, and Matthew goes on and on raving about it. I made a mental note to eat there soon. I asked him how and when he got into music. “I’m the last of three boys in my family. I watched what they did and tried to emulate what worked well and stayed away from what didn’t. I don’t have to try everything to have a full life.”

He tells me he mastered the Recorder until he discovered that it wasn’t a real instrument. In the 7th grade, he started playing the guitar. “I had a decision to make: I could take the worst art class ever or learn to play guitar on a computer. It just clicked.” He won every class competition on guitar with over 40 students in the class.

When Matthew was 12 years old, his mom bought him his first guitar for his birthday. “It was the biggest surprise and greatest joy! She scraped together enough money to buy me a Carlo Robelli, and I’ve been playing it now for 23 years.” He goes on, “Mom is a performer. She’s a good singer, thespian, and she danced professionally. She has encouraged me along the way.”

“I entered every talent contest I could find. I played for treats. I played Spanish songs and played the teacher’s favorite songs.” His music has opened doors and exposed him to places all over the world. “I played Chris Isaak’s Can’t Help Falling in Love in front of 15,000 people in Cologne, France. It was an amazing night.”

In his Junior year of high school, Matthew joined a Venezuelan Reggae Cumbia band with 5 musicians, and they played for 10 years all over the United States, Argentina, and Costa Rica. Together, they won a Telemundo television contest and ended up playing on the show almost every week.

After the band broke up, Matthew worked at a Cold Stone Creamery in Miami. “It was awesome. The ice cream is wow! It will take you to the four corners of the world and back, and then put you back to sleep. It’s made for a girl who just broke up with her boyfriend.” This is the energy he brings to everything he does.

Tired of not making any money, he formed a corporate band, playing weddings and events. For three or so years, they played all over, performing with stars like Mark Anthony at the Casa De Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic. Called Shine Down, the band stayed together until 2019. That’s about the time he began touring with Aaron Jones, taking influences from Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Kravitz, Metallica, KISS, and Guns N' Roses.

In late March 2025, Matthew got the call from Uncle Steve. He packed up and moved into a house Uncle Steve owns in Mobile. When not playing with Pikki Head, he began poking around music venues, getting a lay of the land. He started playing sidewalk gigs in front of Soul Kitchen Music Hall once a week, and people took notice. He would listen to music at the Brickyard, where he met Gabe Willis, Dalton Muse, and others.  “I also met a lot of drunk people talking about music when I didn't even drink.”

His fortune was gaining traction. “John Thompson at Callaghan’s took a chance and invited me to play one night. I was late setting up, and Gabe helped me figure out the sound system. In the short time I’ve been here, I’m randomly being introduced to the musician network. I’ve gotten to know Noel Broughton and play the Brickyard once a month. I’ve played with Merideth Hicks, who is a real talent.”

So, what does Matthew think of the Scenic 98 Coastal area, I ask. “I’m supposed to be here,” he says. With the energy and effervescence that come naturally to Matthew, there’s no telling where his journey will take him. His reputation as a musician and entertainer is spreading rapidly throughout the region.

His local gigs so far have taken him to music venues in Mobile, Daphne, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Pensacola. He says he is going to start recording soon. “Technology has come so far. I can mix my guitar with drums from my friend in Los Angeles and get the sound exactly like I want it.” He’s written 40 songs so far.

He tells me that the journey is the important part. A victim of the Palisades fires in January 2025, he had to sell many of his guitars to survive. He feels like he’s landed in the right place. “There’s something special happening here.” 

Be sure to catch one of Matthew’s performances at a venue near you. He brings a vibe and sound that is sure to make you smile!