Over the course of his long and illustrious musical career sprouting from the same teal backwater as Bob Dylan on northern Minnesota’s Iron Range, Rich Mattson came up learning songs from John Denver to Van Halen with a little Elvis Costello and Neil Young tossed into the mix. Add in some heaping handfuls of U2, the Replacements, and CCR and blend until the ingredients come splattering in bits and pieces and you have around 500 tunes and this fella’s discography. Now residing in Sparta MN with his life and love partner Germaine Gemberling, the two have been writing, recording, and performing (among other things) together since 2010. The latest incarnation of the Northstars (with longtime drummer and cohort Keely Lane and bassist Kyle Westrick) features Duluth’s Dan Anderson on keys. Their 6 albums have received rave reviews and high praise from the indie rock/americana/jangle-core crowd.
The Northstars perform all around Minnesota and beyond and have been invited to share the stage with such notable acts as the Minus 5, the Jayhawks, Drivin’ and Cryin’, and Trampled By Turtles. Somewhat of a Minnesota music staple, Mattson is well known for his songwriting and outstanding showmanship as well as his work with literally thousands of artists at his Sparta Sound recording studio. The new Rich Mattson and the Northstars album (available on LP, CD as well all streaming) “OUT THERE” came out in November of 2022 on Poor L’amour/Sparta Sound.