With roots dating back to their time at Radford University in 2011, Matt Jones and The Bobs have always been united by a common passion for folk music, family, and Southwest Virginian culture.

After taking a hiatus from 2015 to 2024, the band came back together with new perspectives on life and music.

“Once I came back and we all got in the same room, it just felt right. There was a shared energy and vision from the start.”

From the release of their debut album in 2014 to their newly released single “Wicked Ways,” Matt Jones and The Bobs have done a lot of changing. They’ve overcome obstacles, grappled with grief, and yet, they’ve still returned to each other as a band. Their personal lives have undergone an evolution. In turn, so has their creative process.

There remains a deep love for their hometown in Southwest Virginia, a preservation of storytelling that feeds into the Americana movement, and an appreciation for the changes they’ve endured as people and musicians.

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:: connect with Matt Jones and The Bobs here ::

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A CONVERSATION WITH MATT JONES AND THE BOBS

Atwood Magazine: How did the band originally come together, and what role did your childhood friend Ben Osborne play in forming Matt Jones and The Bobs?

Matt Jones: It really all goes back to Ben. We grew up together, so there was already that foundation, and when he got to Radford, he started connecting the dots, meeting guys like Pat and Jonathan who had the same kind of musical drive. At that point, I had actually stepped away from school, and Ben was the one who kept pushing me to come back, not even necessarily for classes, but for the opportunity to build something musically. That ended up being the turning point. Once I came back and we all got in the same room, it just felt right. There was a shared energy and vision from the start, and Ben was really the one who made that happen. Without him bringing everyone together, I don’t know if the band would have formed the way it did.

What was it like releasing your debut album, Brother’s Hymn, while you were still in college? What obstacles did you face putting a full-length project together at such a young age?

Matt Jones: Looking back, it was a little chaotic, but in the best way. We didn’t have much money, barely knew what we were doing in the studio, and were all balancing school at the same time. There wasn’t a whole lot of overthinking, though. We just went for it and trusted what we were creating. The biggest obstacle was experience. We were learning everything as we went, from recording to songwriting to even understanding how to put a project out into the world. But, I think that’s what gave Brother’s Hymn its character. It was raw, honest, and a true snapshot of who we were at that point in time.

How has the music evolved over the years, both sonically and thematically? What are the key differences in your creative work between now and then?

Matt Jones: Early on, a lot of what we did was instinctual. We were writing whatever came naturally without thinking too much about structure or direction. As we’ve grown, there’s a lot more intention behind what we create. We’ve taken the time to really understand our sound and not rush the process. Sonically, things have opened up more. We’re more comfortable letting songs breathe and focusing on what serves the story instead of trying to fill every space. Thematically, the writing has become more personal. We’re pulling from real experiences now, things we’ve lived through, and I think that honesty comes through in a way it couldn’t have back then.

When did you get the idea for your new single, “Wicked Ways”? What is the inspiration or story behind the track?

Matt Jones: “Wicked Ways” really came from reflecting on where I came from, especially my relationship with my older brother. Growing up, he had a big influence on me, and not always in the most obvious ways. It was that mix of admiration, curiosity, and sometimes learning things maybe a little earlier than I should have.

The song is about those early impressions and how they stick with you. It’s about the paths you’re shown when you’re young and how they shape the person you become. In a lot of ways, it’s one of the more personal songs I’ve written, because it’s rooted in real memories and that dynamic of looking up to someone while also figuring out your own way.

How is “Wicked Ways” intertwined with your roots as a band from Southwest Virginia? What is the impact of place on your music?

Matt Jones: Southwest Virginia is a huge part of who we are, and that naturally finds its way into the music. There’s a certain honesty and grit that comes from growing up here, and I think “Wicked Ways” really carries that. The storytelling, the tone, and even the feeling of the song all reflect where we come from. It’s a place that shapes you early, especially when it comes to family, values, and the influences around you. A lot of the themes in the song, like being impacted by the people closest to you and figuring out your own direction, are things that feel very rooted in this area. Even as we grow and branch out, that foundation doesn’t go away; it stays at the core of everything we write.

Has your dynamic as a band changed over the years? How has the shift, if any, affected the music you write?

Matt Jones: It definitely has. In the early days, everything was new and a little unpredictable; we were just figuring each other out as players and as people. Over time, that’s turned into a real sense of trust. We understand each other’s strengths now and know how to bring the best out of one another. That shift has made a big difference in the music. There’s more patience in the process, and more openness to letting ideas develop instead of forcing them. Everyone has a voice, but there’s also a shared understanding of what serves the song. I think that balance has made what we’re creating now feel more cohesive and intentional.

“Wicked Ways” explores your evolution as a band and how you’ve grown from your pasts. Can you talk about the changes you’ve gone through, both as a band and individually, that inform your music today?

Matt Jones: We’ve all gone through a lot of growth since we first started, both together and on our own. Life has a way of shaping you over time, and that naturally changes how you see things and how you express them. I think we’ve become more honest in our writing because of that. As a band, we’ve learned to trust each other more and not force anything creatively. Individually, we’ve all had experiences that have challenged us and helped us grow, and those moments find their way into the music. “Wicked Ways” is a good example of that; it’s reflective, it’s personal, and it shows how we’ve taken where we came from and turned it into something meaningful today.

Just as your hometown in Southwest Virginia has impacted your music, I have to ask, has your music and presence as a band impacted your hometown as well?

Matt Jones: I think in a small way, yeah. Any time you’re telling stories that are rooted in where you come from, people back home are going to feel connected to that. There’s a sense of pride in seeing something familiar reflected in the music. If anything, I hope it shows that you can come from a place like Southwest Virginia and still chase something bigger, without losing that identity. If our music has encouraged even a few people back home to go after something they care about or see their own story a little differently, then that means a lot to us.

If you could give one piece of advice to your college selves as a band, what would it be?

Matt Jones: I’d say trust the process and don’t rush it. Back then, we were always focused on what was next instead of really appreciating where we were, and the truth is, we just weren’t ready for where we are today. We’ve all grown a lot over the years, both as musicians and as people. Playing in different bands, exploring different genres, and writing on our own gave us experiences we didn’t have back then. When we came back together, all of that growth, combined with the natural energy we’ve always had with each other, really elevated our core sound. That’s something that couldn’t have happened back then because we had to live it first. So if I could go back, I’d just say be patient and trust that everything you’re working toward will come together when it’s supposed to.

What is one thing you hope that listeners will take away from “Wicked Ways”?

Matt Jones: I hope people see a piece of themselves in it. Whether it’s family, influence, or figuring out your own direction, everyone has their own version of that story. More than anything, I hope it makes people reflect a little. On where they came from, who shaped them, and how those experiences carry into who they are now. If the song can connect in that way and feel real to someone else, then it did exactly what it was meant to do.

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