Matt Eckberg:  Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer

Matt is the oldest of the five Eckberg brothers and has been the trailblazer in more ways than one.

Matt’s first love was not music but sports, especially running. Throughout Jr. and Sr. high he participated in every sport possible, including track, baseball, football, and basketball.

Matt’s athletic and scholastic achievements at Walnut (Illinois) High School led to an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Just weeks after his 1991 High School graduation Matt headed west bolstered by dream to become an Air Force pilot.

Matt soon decided military life wasn’t his thing and he left the academy, enrolling instead at Judson College in Elgin, Illinois. There he met Coach Rick Wilson who instilled in Matt the passion and discipline necessary for success as a runner. And succeed he did, becoming a standout runner for Judson during his two years there.

His new career goal of become an exercise physiologist made it necessary to transfer to Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, a move that would have far reaching effects on his life.

He continued to run, becoming the top runner for WIU and captured all-conference honors his senior year. He also met the woman of his future, Michelle Mount, another WIU student-athlete.

Even though he had grown up in a house full of music, and had kept his dad’s Gibson Les Paul in his room at home, it wasn’t until the summer between his Jr. and Sr. years at WIU that Matt finally turned his attention to music. He learned quickly and music quickly became his passion.

During his Sr. year he answered an ad in a Macomb guitar shop for musicians and wound up in his first band, “Choking Doberman”. That band was followed by a second, “Rainbow Riders”.

Upon graduation from WIU Matt headed to Peoria to work for The Clubs at River City. He answered another ad for musicians which resulted in being introduced to drummer Fred Dirkse. The two quickly became friends and soon enlisted the services of Matt’s brother Jeremy to form “Casual Man” in 1996. By 1997 “Casual Man” had enlisted the services of drummer Bryan Vicary, Fred Dirkse moved to guitar, and “Casual Man” was becoming the top band in Peoria. In late 1999 Dirkse left the band and Jonathan Eckberg was brought in as a replacement. The first incarnation of what would eventually become “OneElevenEast” was born.

Changes would follow with regularity. Jeremy would leave when his second band, “Blue Magoo” became too busy to allow time for both bands, and Matt would keep “Casual Man” going until 2008.

Matt currently heads up the popular Peoria band “O-Face” (www.myspace.com/o-faceband)

Matt currently is an Underwriting Manager for RLI Corporation in Peoria, Illinois, is married to Michelle, and has two children, Allison (6) and Tyler (4). They reside in East Peoria.