ATHENS-Matt Prater and his band gave an outstanding concert Friday night at Singing in the Park in the Big Springs Memorial Park to close to 300 hundred people. Prater has been writing songs for over 10 years, his singing though has been a lot longer. He writes and sings with such passion and from his own personal experiences.
His song “The Barber” has to be one of my favorites; at this time. He writes of an Athens barber who cut hair for over 50 years and as he says in the song, was almost put out of business when the Beatles became popular and 
had long hair. He states, ‘men would get their hair cut every 2 weeks’ but not when the Beatles craze was taking place.
Prater records at Muscle Shoals studios, his new 2015 album is called “Tables and Chairs,” a few of the songs on this CD are “Back On The Wagon”, “The Barber and “Bozeman” with Jacob Greene on bass and Mike Cole on lead guitar.
Prater gave a solid two hour performance Friday night to a very pleased crowd. Prater grew up in Limestone County and is raising his family with his same values he received.
Other band members are Mike Cole, Milton Sledge and Jacob Greene. Next month’s Concert will be held at Athens State University at Founders Hall with the Athens State University Community Band with Dan Havely conducting. Rain location will be ASU Gymnasium.
Special thanks to Champion Chevrolet and to Railroad Bazaar for their community support of Tourism.
MEDIA RELEASE/Teresa Todd,Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association President
