Evangeline Elston may be new to Black Oak Artists, but she has been in the music industry for twenty years. “My passion is to try to elevate artists. I find that so rewarding.”
She began her career in 2003 at a radio station in Northern California. “I was the marketing and development director, and because I DJ’d as well, I started meeting artists.” Soon, she opened a café/music venue, and when she closed it five years later, many artists wanted her to represent them. Evangeline became a buyer for festivals and clubs and did marketing and promotions for artists. She also made some bookings. After working independently, she decided to take a leap and work for Black Oak Artists. She started her new position in November 2023.
“It’s been great working for such a company with such a strong commitment to being artist-centric. We have a lot of diverse artists on our roster.” Evangeline says she likes the collaborative spirit of the company. “We meet weekly, and everything we do is a team effort. I feel honored to be a part of it.” So far, Evangeline has three artists on the Black Oak roster. Rod Picott, Anya Hinkle, and Matt Axton, the son of the late singer/songwriter/actor Hoyt Axton. “I just signed Matt a few months ago, but I’ve been following him in the Tahoe area. His dad built a house there, and that’s where Matt grew up. I love working with legacy artists.”
What a legacy. Matt, who is now based out of Los Angeles, says his mission in life is to spread the music and cultural impact of his grandmother’s and father’s music.
Matt’s grandmother, Mae Boren Axton, co-penned Elvis Presley’s first million Selling hit, “Heartbreak Hotel,” and quickly became known as “The Queen Mother Of Nashville” launching numerous musical careers such as Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, and Blake Shelton, among others. His father, Hoyt Axton, wrote his first” Greenback Dollar” for the Kingston Trio in 1964. His biggest hits were in songwriting with “Joy to the World” and “Never Been to Spain,” both recorded by Three Dog Night. “The Pusher” and “Snow Blind Friend” were both recorded by Steppenwolf, and “The No No Song” was recorded by Ringo Starr.
Naturally, Matt grew up surrounded by music. “It was part of life. I absorbed it. My mom was a piano player and my dad’s musical manager. She still plays piano, and she’s a choir director.” Matt played the trombone in his high school band, and his mom taught him to play a Spanish finger-picking song on a guitar that was always in the house. “My dad bought it in Rome when he was filming Black Stallion in the late 1970s.” But Matt had his sights set on playing college football, and even got a scholarship to play in Oklahoma, but a knee injury sidelined him, so he picked up the guitar. “Playing came so naturally to me, and so did songwriting.”
No music is Matt’s fulltime career. From mountain soul rock to acoustic and “very grassy,” it’s hard to pin him down to any one genre. “I always have several bands going and still play with my mom for weddings and events. I love and respect all genres of music.” When he moved to L.A., Matt built a stable of musical friends. He started a monthly musical showcase he called Americana Joy – the name an ode to his dad’s most famous hit song. “It was on the heels of Covid, and I was determined to pay the bands well. It was very original, music-oriented, and a wonderful community event. That snowballed into what is now a free benefit music festival.”
This will be the second year for the Tahoe Joy Festival, held in Tahoe City. Proceeds from the event go to both music and environmental education. “My grandma and dad had a lot of success in the music industry, and they did it with care and community focus. I want to continue that. I believe great music can change the world.”
Matt does a tour every six months, working his way to Nashville. “My grandma had a deep legacy there for decades. Going to Nashville feels like going home. Touring is important to Matt. “It’s an old-fashioned organic way to get up close with an audience. We added a lot of new markets to our last tour, and we hope to add even more.”
Evangeline is currently booking his next tour. “He’ll be out in September and October, ending up at the Americana Fest in Nashville before working his way back to L.A. Matt does a great job of shepherding his dad’s music and making it relevant.”