October 27, 2003

Silent Bass

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Nothing could have prepared me for this Google search. It was a whim answered with the Internet equivalent to a slap in the face.

I plugged a high school chum’s name into the good ol’ search engine expecting to find great things about a career in the music world. We haven’t had contact in more than a decade and I knew I’d find a list of amazing credits to his ability as a musician.

Instead, here’s what I found.

“The concert is dedicated to the memory of bassist / father / husband/ Matthew Sperry, who touched so many with his love, honesty, humor, and music. Matthew died when he was hit by a car while bicycling to work the morning of June 5, 2003. In addition to being a wonderful father to two-year old Lila and husband to Stacia, Matthew was an incredible bass player, a rising star who performed with Anthony Braxton, David Byrne, Tom Waits, and many others.”

- Scot Hacker

Matthew and I were two of the three bass players in our high school when he was a senior and I a junior. I always aspired to be half the musician he was back then, and everyone knew he was destined for greatness.

I sat staring at the result of my urge in utter disbelief. Never in a million years did I think I’d read about his death, let alone a hit and run.

The music world will forever feel a tinge of sorrow for the loss of this generous soul.

Matthew Sperry: November 6, 1968 - June 5, 2003.

- Rich