Matt Mason returning home to perform Saturday at Blue River Memorial Park

A quite morning near Albuquerque, New Mexico, nearly a decade ago was when Matt Mason chose family and faith over fame.

Reflecting on a phone call he received warning him that his touring lifestyle was ruining his home life, Mason took a stroll with a cup of coffee and a cigarette and spoke to God. He was looking for a sign that what he was doing was wrong.

“I hadn’t lost my faith but it was the first honest conversation I had with God in my adult life,” explained Mason. “I was sick and tired of living the life I was living. So I gave him three months – if my life was not different, I would just go back to doing what I was doing.”

Mason graduated from Triton Central High School in 2004 then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to further his musical ambitions. In 2006, he made his television debut on the reality competition show “Nashville Star” and finished fourth.

Five years later, Mason was crowned “CMT’s Next Superstar” on a competition show. From there, Mason was on the road touring the country. The lifestyle that comes with being a performer started taking its toll on his marriage to fellow Triton Central graduate Katie Huffman.

“It turned into a big party scene. It started messing with me over home,” he said. “I was unfaithful to my wife. I was an alcoholic. But I hid that from the public and my family.”

After that fateful day in New Mexico, Mason felt a shift in his life. He completed his touring schedule in 2017 and returned home to work on his life.

“In the situation I was in, I had to be honest in my life. I was good at lying. I told my wife everything I ever did,” said Mason. “We started dating in high school. We got married and had a son and a daughter.”

When Mason left the road, which was a stressful financial move for the family, the world of “streaming” music was gaining popularity.

“My streaming started going up right after that and for six to eight months we were doing well,” said Mason. “I wasn’t on the road anymore and everything clicked into place.”

In August of 2018, Katie became pregnant again. The Mason family expanded with another son. A few years later, their third son arrived and completed the family.

“I was still writing (music) but doing no live shows. I was enjoying being a dad and being a husband,” he said. “I had never done that.”

Mason was finally at peace with his life when his wife had a radical thought.

“Katie said I should go back out (touring). I was fine streaming (my music). I didn’t really want to go back out and do it,” he said. “She said you have a story to tell. You could help a lot of people with addictions or things they are hiding. They need to meet someone like you and hear your story.”

That conversation took place approximately three years ago. On Saturday at Blue River Memorial Park in Shelbyville, mere minutes from where he went to high school, Mason will perform live for the first time in Shelby County is close to a decade.

“I am anxious to see (the crowd). There will be a good turnout,” he said.

Mason’s appearance is part of the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department’s Music in the Park series. There is no admission fee to the concert. Brooks Werner is the opening performer at 7 p.m. with Mason, and family, to follow.

Mason’s daughter, Ella Mae, sings with the band and will perform a couple of songs of her own during the set.

“She is getting on her musical journey. She is really good,” said Mason of his 17-year-old daughter.

His son, Waylon, is a bass guitar player but not quite ready to join dad’s touring band. And don’t be surprised if his two youngest sons, Haggard (age 6) and Ford (age 3) are playing nearby while dad performs.

“It’s working,” said Mason when asked why go back to touring. “Ninety percent of the time someone from my family is with me. I’ve got accountability pillars in place.

“I love going out this way. It’s absolutely great times. I love to get out and meet people and stay after shows.”

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