Matthew Wilder

The defiant chorus of Matthew Wilder's 1983 hit "Break My Stride" -- "Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride/Nobody gonna slow me down" -- could also define his career. Wilder is one of the few artists who was able to escape from the stigma of having only one smash single and yet find more success in the music industry. In the early '70s, Wilder was part of the Greenwich Village folk duo Matthew & Peter. Wilder moved to Los Angeles in 1978 and sang on TV commercials; he also became a backup vocalist for Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler. In 1983, Wilder released his first album, I Don't Speak the Language. "Break My Stride" reached the Top Ten in the U.S. However, Wilder's second LP, 1984's Bouncin' Off the Walls, flopped. Nevertheless, Wilder continued to write and produce for others. In 1995, Wilder produced No Doubt's multi-platinum debut Tragic Kingdom. Wilder's work on the Mulan soundtrack in 1998 that earned him an Oscar nomination. ~ Michael Sutton