We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matthew Krause. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matthew below.

Hi Matthew, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My upcoming album, Love & Other Drugs, is the most meaningful project of my life. It’s been a long time coming. These songs are drawn from relationships I’ve been in, my lifelong struggle with addiction, and my journey toward sobriety.

I’ve been a musician for most of my life—starting in bands and performing solo back in my home state of Michigan at 16, then making music around the SW Florida scene since 2016. I’ve always wanted to make a solo album, but I think I needed to truly live first—to gather the experiences, heartbreaks, and hard lessons that shaped the songs I’m most proud of today.

This project has been a journey of loss, addiction, and loneliness, but also of love, hope, and resilience in the face of grief. My producer and engineer, Matt Phillips, has been instrumental in helping me bring these emotions to life, capturing the raw feeling I wanted to share.

I’m beyond excited to finally release these songs into the world—and to let them speak for themselves.

Matthew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a singer/songwriter in the truest sense of the word—driven by a love for creating songs with meaning, performing with passion, and making music that moves people. I perform solo all over the SW Florida area and with my band, The Flood Brothers. What sets me apart is the energy, authenticity, and emotion I bring to every performance.

I grew up with The Beatles, The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin, and countless other classics playing in the background of my childhood. My parents took me to concerts from an early age, and music quickly became my calling—especially as the middle child of three, searching for my own voice. Over the years, I’ve built a deep musical knowledge that lets me play just about anything—from modern favorites like Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan to timeless artists like John Prine and Jim Croce, inspired by the record collection my dad passed down from the ’60s and ’70s.

Getting to where I am today wasn’t overnight. I had to break out of my shell and put myself out there, knocking on doors and convincing bar and venue owners to take a chance on me. Just 2–3 years ago, I began playing professionally, and since then I’ve done it all—weddings, funerals, corporate events, and everything in between. I bring professionalism to every gig, with top-tier gear and a level of service that stands out in the area. My day job in the events industry—working high-pressure corporate events for hotels—has taught me how to stay calm under pressure. I’ve even performed for President Trump at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center in Fort Myers. I know that for many people, events can be the most stressful moments of their lives, and I take pride in bringing a sense of ease and joy through my music.

My proudest work to date is my upcoming album, “Love & Other Drugs”. It’s been years in the making—a deeply personal collection of songs about love, loss, addiction, and hope. While many cover bands in the area stick to playing other people’s music, I write my own as well. Even with covers, I never play them note-for-note—I make each one my own, adding my own style and personality.

At the end of the day, I simply love music—and I hope to make it my life’s work.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I’ve been an alcoholic since the moment I took my first drink. A few years ago, I hit rock bottom—losing my family, my kids, my marriage, and several relationships that alcohol destroyed. But a few months ago, I celebrated a full year of sobriety.

Through it all, music has been my constant—my healer, my companion when I felt completely alone. “Love & Other Drugs” is the culmination of songs I wrote during the battle to get sober—through countless stops, starts, and relapses. It took years of resilience to get here: finally playing shows regularly, making a living from my music, starting a band, and completing an album I couldn’t have finished when I was drunk and lost.

This journey hasn’t been mine alone. I’ve been shaped by the people and relationships along the way—love found and lost, my parents and other people who pushed me to get sober, the leap into rehab, and the terrifying decision to truly change my life. Even when my home was flooded during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, I refused to quit—writing new songs and holding onto sobriety through it all.

Every hardship, every heartbreak, every second chance has built the resilience that defines me today. This album is my story—and I’m finally ready to share it.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

For me, connecting with other sober, creative people has been life-changing. I just wish there were more online communities or networking opportunities specifically for musicians and other creatives.

When I first moved to Florida, I asked a guitarist—someone playing weddings regularly at the hotel where I worked—how I could do what he did. How could I make a living playing music? His response was discouraging: “It takes a lot of ass-kissing, and good luck.” That mentality has never sat right with me.

If someone asked me the same question today, I’d walk them through every step. I’d listen to them play, connect them with other musicians, and point them toward venues to check out. I hate the idea that creatives have to compete, undercut each other, or tear one another down. That helps absolutely no one—and in the end, we’re often fighting over peanuts.

Instead, I focus on surrounding myself with like-minded people who inspire me, lift me up, and help me grow in my creative journey. That kind of support makes all the difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mattkrausemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattkrausemusic/ or @mattkrausemusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattkrausemusic
• Twitter: https://x.com/mattkrausemusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattkrausemusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mattkrausemusic

Image Credits

All of my photos are from my friend Samantha Pysher, @Samantha_pysher, https://samanthapysher.myportfolio.com/.

The boat one is from Jayden Dates, @Jaydendatesmedia.