After experiencing a stroke, musician Matthew Sweet is currently “on a long path to recovery.”His manager, Russell Carter, reported that the 60-year-old artist suffered from “a serious stroke”while touring with the pop rock band Hanson in Toronto, Canada, on October 12.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday, October 22, Carter stated:
“Matthew was swiftly admitted to Toronto Western Hospital, where he received excellent medical attention, ensuring he was taken out of immediate danger. Today, he has been moved to a rehabilitation facility in Omaha, where he will begin comprehensive therapy. He is facing a long and arduous recovery journey.”
Details about Sweet’s personal life are limited, but it is known that he is married to a woman named Lisa. Since 2013, the couple has resided in Omaha, Nebraska, though there is no information available about any previous marriages.
A Journey Through Matthew Sweet’s Career
According to his official website, Matthew Sweet emerged from the vibrant music scene in Athens, Georgia, during the 1980s before achieving solo success in the 1990s. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, he started writing songs and playing guitar at the age of 13.
Sweet graduated from Southeast High School in Lincoln in 1983 and moved to Athens in the mid-1980s to attend college. During this period, he worked alongside Michael Stipe of R.E.M., joined Stipe’s sister in the band Oh-OK, and later formed his own group called The Buzz of Delight.
Not long after, he secured a solo recording deal with Columbia Records. He was an early supporter of Artists Against Racism, a Canadian non-profit organization. In 1989, after signing with A&M Records, he released his second album, Earth, but faced a setback when he was dropped by the label.
Undeterred, Matthew Sweet assembled a new band with Fred Maher, Lloyd Cole, Greg Leisz, Richard Lloyd, and Robert Quine. After being released from A&M, he signed with Zoo Entertainment in 1990.
That same year, the new collective began working on what was initially titled Nothing Lasts; however, the album was ultimately renamed Girlfriend and released in October 1991. Widely regarded as a pivotal artistic achievement, this album quickly gained popularity and became a staple of the pop-rock genre.
As reported by Vogue, in 1995, Sweet controversially included a quote from Kurt Cobain’s suicide note in his album, 100% Fun:
“The worst crime I could think of would be to pull people off by faking it, pretending as if I’m having 100% fun.”
The album’s lead single, Sick of Myself, showcased an upbeat pop sound layered with introspective lyrics. In 2000, he also collaborated with the Canadian group Delerium to release the track Daylight from their album Poem.
In early 2002, Sweet joined forces with Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge to create the supergroup The Thorns. Following this, he released his companion album Wicked System of Things in 2018, which followed the previous albums Tomorrow Forever and Tomorrow’s Daughter. His 15th studio album, Catspaw, released in 2021, uniquely features Sweet on all lead guitar parts.
According to Billboard, following his stroke, Sweet has been forced to postpone his nationwide tour, which encompassed opening performances for Hanson as well as his headline shows. Although his team had alerted fans via Instagram on October 10 about the cancellations due to a medical issue, the specifics regarding his condition were only disclosed recently.
Sweet’s family and management have initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with his accumulating medical expenses. As of Wednesday, the fundraising total approached $219,005. In light of this news, fans have taken to social media platforms, including X, to express their prayers and wishes for the singer’s swift recovery.
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