Matthew Tonner is an American musician and music producer.[1][2][3][4]
Tonner is known as a member of Florida-based indie folk band The 502s,[5][6] producing and performing multiple instruments on their debut album Because We Had To and follow up album Could It Get Better Than This.[7][8] He is a former member of the electronic pop duo Destima [9][10] and of Laney Jones and the Spirits.[11][12][13]
He is also known for his solo music under the mononymTonner.[14][15][16]
Biography
Tonner was born and raised in Shorewood, Wisconsin.[17] He received a degree in music from Rollins College, where he also met songwriting collaborator Laney Jones.[18][19] Tonner co-produced and performed on Laney Jones’ 2016 self-titled album, which received critical acclaim from Rolling Stone,[20] Paste Magazine,[21] Elmore Magazine [22] and The Lefort Report, the latter of which declared the album "easily one of the Best Albums of 2016".
[23]
In 2017, Tonner was recruited by The 502s to produce their full-length album “Because We Had To” and joined their live band shortly afterward.[24][25] The album received critical acclaim from PopMatters and Cowboys and Indians.[26][27] Also in 2017, Tonner produced the self-titled full length album for Orlando based folk band Beemo;[28] the lead single from Beemo's album "Did For You" (which featured piano and arrangements from Tonner), later appeared in the 2021 film Red Rocket.[29]
Tonner has continued as an active member of The 502s and produced their follow up album Could It Get Better Than This[30][31][32] which included the group’s breakout singles “Magdalene” and “Just A Little While”.
In 2020, Tonner began releasing music under his own name, culminating in the Whispers in the Dark EP. His debut single “Criminal” was co-produced with Jordan Shih of Orlando electronic band SALES.[33][34][35]
In early 2022 Tonner released "Suspense", the first single from his upcoming new solo album.[36] In May 2022, Tonner released his next single "Volcano", a song inspired by climate change and the 2021 Gulf of Mexico fires.[37] "Volcano" received critical attention and praise for its melodic songwriting and production.[38][39][40] Another single "Castles" was released in July 2022 [41][42] Tonner also announced the new album will be titled "Walls Come Down", to be released in fall 2022.[43][44][45]
