Mat Sulyma Rhythm/Lead Guitar

Born in Rochester, New Hampshire, Mat began his musical journey the way many great guitarists do: by being allowed within approximately three feet of his dad’s acoustic guitar. After several years living in Scotland, Mat and his family eventually settled in the Rochester, New York area, where fate, questionable judgment, and an electric guitar would change everything.

At 16, Mat received his first electric guitar, and what began as a hobby quickly developed into a full-blown condition.

In high school, Mat teamed up with fellow cat herder Scott in the legendary Whiskers on the Moon, a band whose name alone should have been enough to guarantee a record deal. It wasn't. Undeterred, Mat headed to Plattsburgh, where he studied music theory and audio engineering, presumably so he could eventually explain to the rest of us why we're playing the wrong chord.

Upon returning to Rochester, Whiskers on the Moon was resurrected—much like a bad idea—and eventually evolved into Hazy. Mat subsequently lent his considerable talents to several bands, including Begins in the Dark and The Steering Committee, while also dabbling in production work.

Then, tragically, life happened.

For more than a decade, the guitars went into hibernation while Mat pursued such mundane activities as adulthood, responsibility, and presumably paying bills. But in 2019, destiny came calling in the form of a business acquaintance asking him to join a band.

Mat dusted off the guitars. The guitars survived. Barely.

That project lasted approximately two months, but it did introduce Mat to future Herding Cats vocalist Suzanne. The two went on to co-found Chasing Thunder, because apparently one band name wasn't enough. In late 2021, following another lineup change, Herding Cats was born.

The rest of us describe it as the point where the cats finally stopped escaping.

His influences include Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Tommy Emmanuel—a diverse collection of guitar heroes that explains both his impressive versatility and his inability to walk past a guitar store without becoming emotionally compromised.

Today, Mat continues to play guitar, make questionable musical decisions, and attempt to keep Herding Cats pointed vaguely in the same direction.

And yes, he still has the guitars.