Matt Bissonette
Matt Bissonette (born July 25, 1961) is an American bass player and vocalist. According to Guitar 9, an online musicianship magazine, he has played bass and other stringed instruments on at least 22 albums, with music styles ranging from jazz, jazz fusion, progressive metal and instrumental rock. Bissonette has played bass with performers such as David Lee Roth (1987–1992), Jeff Lynne and ELO (2001), Joe Satriani, Ringo Starr (2003–2005) and Elton John (2012–2023).
Matt Bissonette
- Name
- Matt Bissonette
- Born
- 25 July 1961
- Occupation
- Musician
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- hard rock
- Education
- University of North Texas College of Music · Warren Mott High School
- Languages
- English
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Matt Bissonette figure dans les notices d'autorité comme musicien.
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wikidata · Q460728
In this article
Biography
Biography
He is the brother of drummer Gregg Bissonette.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Matt Bissonette • Born — 25 July 1961 • Genre — * Jazz • jazz fusion • progressive metal • instrumental rock • Occupation — Musician • Instruments — * Bass • vocals • Years Active — 1980s–present • Current Member Of — Elton John Band • Past Member Of — * David Lee Roth Band • Ringo Starr and the Roundheads • Electric Light Orchestra
Career
Career
Bissonette attended the University of North Texas's jazz music program. In the early- to mid-1980s, he toured and recorded with jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. For part of his time in the Ferguson band, he played alongside his brother Gregg, which the brothers have done several times in their careers. Bissonette toured and played with Caspar McCloud for Caspar's Self Portrait album produced by Ahmet Ertegun for Atlantic Records 1982–83. In late 1987, he replaced Billy Sheehan in the David Lee Roth band. Along with guitar innovator Steve Vai, Matt's brother Gregg (on drums) and keyboardist Brett Tuggle, Matt toured the world behind the former Van Halen vocalist's Billboard #6 album Skyscraper. While on tour with Roth, Bissonette sang the difficult high harmonies made famous in VH classics, such as "Runnin' with the Devil". In 1989, Bissonette relocated to Vancouver with Roth, his brother Gregg, guitar prodigy Jason Becker and guitarist Steve Hunter, to record the Billboard top 20 album A Little Ain't Enough. Following another world tour in 1991, the Bissonette brothers left the David Lee Roth band. That year, Matt joined Joe Satriani's band. Following Bissonette's five-year stint with Roth, he played with several other major songwriters, including Brian Wilson (of The Beach Boys), Don Henley (of The Eagles); Bissonette also played with Julian Lennon, Steve Perry (of Journey), Ty Tabor (of King's X), Peter Frampton, and on Gregg Bissonette's solo album. Bissonette played with Beatles tribute supergroup Yellow Matter Custard, which performed a handful of shows in 2003 and 2011. In 2003, Bissonette reunited with his brother to back Ringo Starr on a US tour. In 2004, Matt played with vocalist Boz Scaggs on Scaggs' Greatest Hits Live CD and DVD. In June 2005, the Bissonette brothers once again backed Starr at live shows at Irving Plaza in New York City in June 2005; the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, IL for the PBS show SoundStage; and the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, as well as on several US TV appearances (CBS This Morning, etc.) Following his stint with Starr, in 2006, Bissonette became the bass player for Rick Springfield, while singing in his own band the Squirts. Springfield and Bissonette collaborated on Springfield's Venus in Overdrive, which Bissonette co-produced. That same year, he is notable for playing bass with trailer rock musical band Globus on their album Epicon. For over a decade until 2023, Bissonette was the bass player for Elton John, replacing Bob Birch. After John retired from touring, Bissonette played bass for REO Speedwagon on its 2024 tour, and after that band splintered, he continuing along with lead singer Kevin Cronin, touring with Kevin Cronin Band in 2025, including a lengthy summer tour that year. Bissonette also played on the theme songs to the television shows Friends, Just Shoot Me! and The Tracey Ullman Show.
With DarWin
With DarWin
• Five Steps on the Sun (2024)
With the Mustard Seeds
With the Mustard Seeds
• s/t (1996) • Red (1998) • III (2008)
With the Squirts
With the Squirts
• s/t (2003) • Resquirted (2006)
With Jeff Lynne
With Jeff Lynne
• Zoom Tour Live (2001)
With Jughead
With Jughead
• s/t (2002)
With David Lee Roth
With David Lee Roth
• A Little Ain't Enough (1991)
With Joe Satriani
With Joe Satriani
• The Extremist (1993) • Strange Beautiful Music (2002) • Is There Love in Space? (2004) • G3: Live in Tokyo (2005) • Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock (2008)
With Ringo Starr
With Ringo Starr
• Ringo Starr: Live at Soundstage (2007) Koch Entertainment • Give More Love (2017)
With Rick Springfield
With Rick Springfield
• Venus in Overdrive (2008) • Songs for the End of the World (2012) • Rocket Science (2016) • The Red Locusts (2021) • The Locustz: Buzzkill (2026)
With Robbie Angelucci
With Robbie Angelucci
• A Guy with an Accent (2002)
With Maynard Ferguson
With Maynard Ferguson
• Storm (1982) • Live from San Francisco (1985)
With Leon Russel
With Leon Russel
• Mid Summer Blossoms 2 (1991)
With Boz Scaggs
With Boz Scaggs
• Greatest Hits Live (2004)
With Globus
With Globus
• Epicon (2006)
With Elton John
With Elton John
• Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
Other solo projects
Other solo projects
• Spot (1998) • Spot 2 (2000) • Raising Lazarus (2004) • Oh No! Bass Solo! (2004) • Life of the Party (2009) • Disposable Planet (2011) • “Common Road” (2025) • “Straight To The Truth” (2026)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1961
Matt Bissonette born at Detroit.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Matt Bissonette (musician), revision 1364677511 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Off the Record", Exploring, May 1988, p. E10, retrieved 2011-07-23
- 2.Christe, Ian (2008) Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga, John Wiley & Sons,
- 3.Modern Drummer, Volume 24, Issues 7-12, p. 116
- 4.Nagy, Evie (2008) "The Billboard Reviews: Albums: Rick Springfield Venus in Overdrive", Billboard, August 2, 2008, p. 33, retrieved 2011-07-23
- 5.Springfield, Rick (2010) Late, Late at Night: A Memoir, Simon & Schuster, , p. 310
References
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reference work
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Studied at
1- Warren Mott High SchoolOrganisation
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Further particulars
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Further particulars
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Formation and teaching. Bissonette studied at University of North Texas College of Music and Warren Mott High School. Recorded as having studied at University of North Texas College of Music and Warren Mott High School.
Activity and practice
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 August 2026.
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