Doin’ What ’E Luvs
An erstwhile lawyer heedsthe call of music.
Be a musician, Education Professor Faith Dunne told Matt Yee '82 when he was an undergraduate. It was reasonable advice he had been singing in the Glee Club and performing solo at Eleazar's Dungeon, a weekend nightclub in Collis Student Center. But when he graduated, Matt became a lawyer albeit, a lawyer in Honolulu. "I put myself into law 110 percent," he says."l was a good lawyer. And I was miserable."
So he ditched the suit and tie, went to work for a local production company, joined a band in Waikiki, performed in lounges and resort hotels, and then moved into solo work. He has just released an album of dance pop and ballads called "Innocent Love," which is selling out in record stores throughout Hawaii. Tracks from the album are now getting airplay in Japan, and the duet "Do What U Luv" has been picked up at the Los Angeles Songwriter's showcase by BMG Talent and EMI. Now Matt, who is known professionally as Mattaio, is angling for mainland distributors and hoping eventually to do a tour. "There are no done deals yet," he says.
Abandoning the law firm's financial security wasn't easy, he admits. "There was the house, the car... but I left, and now I still have the house and the car anyway."
"Innocent Love" is available on cassette ($10) and CD ($16) from Matt Yee, 98-1970 G Kaahumanu st„ Pearl City, HI 96782. Phone: 808/455- 6848.
Matt Yee '82 records as Mattaio, anickname his father gave him.
