MATT McCLURE

Many might assume that singer-songwriter Matt McClure is an overnight success, since his current single, “The Shore”, has taken over social media platforms, garnering more than 15 million views in just 6 weeks. But the truth is McClure has been grinding away in Nashville for more than a decade, trying to get his music heard. No one is more shocked and appreciative of the flame that was ignited at the end of 2023 than this Kentucky-born-and-bred songsmith himself. 

On a cold December day McClure coaxed his teenage daughter out of bed and took her to the backyard to film him singing “The Shore,” a song six years in the making. “My daughter was in her PJ’s and slippers when I told her to just point the phone at me while I sing,” he recalls. “Never did I ever imagine what awaited me after posting that video to Tik Tok for my 640 followers.” 

The flood began in only 3 minutes (the length of the song) when there were 10,000 views, then 100,000, then 250K... now 5 million on TikTok alone! “My wife, kids and I just watched it go higher and higher.” Wave two of the shock hit when heart-wrenching messages inundated McClure’s inbox. Tens of thousands of messages detailing how “The Shore” saved their lives and/or made them choose to leave an abusive relationship or get therapy. A few days in, McClure got the first of hundreds of messages from mental health professionals telling him how they are using his song in sessions, and how it is resulting in breakthrough after breakthrough with patients. In a song full of soul touching words, one line stood out above the rest: Maybe the bravest thing I can do is to save myself. Listener after listener proclaimed this line as their new mantra. 

Even while serving as a bus driver for Hardy’s current tour, the new chapter of McClure’s own music career is being written every day. Music distribution companies stepped up to help him release the song worldwide, while merchandise companies also worked with McClure to spread the messages of “The Shore.” A new website has been launched, and offers for collaboration are pouring in from Nashville industry veterans. None of this is a surprise, as the song’s powerful message resonates with so many people, situations, and life in general. For people who were ready to give up hope,“The Shore” was their life preserver. It’s a message that needs to be heard, and McClure is ready to ride that wave.