Singer/songwriter Matt Hires made his recording debut at the age of 22, when the Florida native introduced his confessional songcraft with the Live from the Hotel Cafe EP. Hires had begun writing music during his late teens, when his father jump-started his son's career by giving him a 1977 acoustic guitar. Before long, he'd pieced together a band with several friends; the rock group named itself Brer and released two records before calling it quits. Hires continued onward as a solo musician, landing opening gigs with Marc Broussard and the Dave Matthews Band before issuing Live from the Hotel Café in October 2008. A full-length album, Take Us to the Start, followed in 2009.