Georgia native Matthew Kahler left his small town roots in the late '80s and headed West to be a songwriter. The coffeehouses of Pasadena, CA, were the lucky recipients of his talent, though they didn't quite realize the potential of the gift they had received. So, after giving it his best effort, Kahler patted himself on the back and made his way back to Atlanta in 1991. It wasn't long before he made a friend in another struggling singer/songwriter, Shawn Mullins. The two shared a musical and personal camaraderie that led to a number of collaborations, both onstage and off. As a solo artist, Kahler released My Own Medicine in 1994 and This Here That There in 1996, all the while building a strong local following for his James Taylor-esque style. In 1995, Kahler and Mullins recorded their infamous dueling live show and issued Jeff's Last Dance on Mullins' SMG Records. The double-CD features the two energetic artists doing what they do best -- entertaining an audience at the legendary Eddie's Attic. Kahler was noticeably quiet for a while after that, battling a strong case of writer's block and, later, a pretty big heartbreak. Following the breakup of a long-term relationship in 1999, Kahler bounced around the idea of packing it in and moving to the wilderness of Alaska. Mullins, who was riding high on the success of his hit single "Lullaby," checked in with his old pal, encouraging him to write some songs and record another record. And that's just what Kahler did, with some not so little help from his friend. In fact, Mullins produced and played all over Out of the Blue. Released in October 2000 on SMG, Out of the Blue meanders, dashes, analyzes, and contemplates its way through the emotional life of Kahler, with musical inspirations drawn from James Taylor and Al Green with several stops in between. In the spirit of mutual collaborations, Kahler co-wrote a couple of songs on Mullins' Beneath the Velvet Sun, including the first two incredibly catchy singles, "Everwhere I Go" and "Up All Night." ~ Kelly McCartney, Rovi
