Nashville-based singer-songwriter Crys Matthews continues to emerge as one of the most vital voices in contemporary folk and social justice music. Blending Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass, Matthews crafts songs rooted in tradition while confronting modern realities with clarity and conviction.
Marking a major career milestone, Matthews has signed an exclusive publishing and recording agreement with TRO Essex Music Group—home to legendary songwriters including Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Pete Townshend—alongside its label arm, Shamus Records. The partnership places Matthews within a lineage of artists known for using music as a vehicle for cultural commentary and change.
Her latest release arrives as a double single, pairing a reimagined version of Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream—originally written by Ed McCurdy—with Citizen, a deeply personal and timely reinterpretation inspired by Guthrie’s Deportee. The latter features the Resistance Revival Chorus, adding a communal and emotional weight to the track’s message.
On “Citizen,” Matthews revisits the themes of Guthrie’s original while reframing them through a contemporary lens. Drawing from the tragic Los Gatos plane crash, which inspired “Deportee,” she expands the conversation to address present-day realities surrounding immigration, identity, and human dignity. Her approach honors the spirit of the original while creating space for urgent, modern dialogue.
Meanwhile, her rendition of “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” leans into the song’s enduring message of peace. Stripped to its emotional core, Matthews delivers a version that resonates as both reflection and quiet protest—echoing the universal longing for a world without conflict.
Already widely recognized, Crys Matthews has earned International Folk Music Awards Song of the Year honors in both 2022 and 2025, becoming the first artist to win the award twice. She was also named Artist of the Year in 2024, further cementing her role as a leading voice in the genre.
With this latest release and new partnership, Matthews continues to fulfill her mission: amplifying unheard voices, shedding light on overlooked stories, and using music as a platform for empathy, awareness, and change.