Wendy Joan Matthews (born 13 January 1960) is a Canadian-born Australian singer-songwriter who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist. She released Top 20 hit singles in the 1990s including "Token Angels", "Let's Kiss (Like Angels Do)", "The Day You Went Away" and "Friday's Child" with Top 20 albums, You've Always Got The Blues (duet album with Kate Ceberano), Émigré, Lily, The Witness Tree and her compilation, Stepping Stones. She has won six Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane she provides "extraordinary, crystal-clear vocals [...] a soulfulness that was the mark of a truly gifted singer".

In November 2016, Matthews featured on the Catherine Britt single, "F U Cancer" alongside Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole, Lyn Bowtell, Josh Pyke and Wes Carr.

TV appearances

Matthews has appeared on three series of Channel Seven's celebrity singing competition It Takes Two. The first series premiered on 28 May 2006, she was partnered by former Australian Rules footballer, Richard Champion, they were voted off in week six. On 1 May 2007, ahead of the second series, Matthews, David Hobson and Troy Cassar-Daley sang "Got to Get You into My Life" on celebrity dancing competition Dancing with the Stars grand final, which was won by Ceberano and her professional dance partner John Paul Collins. It Takes Two second series premiered on 8 May, where Matthews was paired with comedian Russell Gilbert, they were voted off in week four of the competition. The third series commenced on 12 February 2008 with John Mangos, news reader for Sky News Australia, and Matthews being voted off in week two. Matthews appeared on the TV show RocKwiz on 1 November 2008, she performed Toto's "Hold the Line" as a duet with Johnny Galvatron from The Galvatrons.

Discography

  • You've Always Got The Blues <small>(duet album with Kate Ceberano)</small> (1988)
  • Émigré (1990)
  • The Way It Has to Be (1991)
  • Lily (1992)
  • The Witness Tree (1994)
  • Ghosts (1997)
  • Beautiful View (2001)
  • Café Naturale (2004)
  • She (2008)
  • The Welcome Fire (2013)
  • Billie and Me: The White Room Sessions (2015)

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).

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| 1995 || "Standing Strong" – (Wendy Matthews, Glenn Skinner) || Most Performed Australian Work ||

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ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are presented annually from 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Matthews has won six awards from twenty-two nominations as a solo artist.

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| 1987 || "Dancing Daze" || Best Female Artist||

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| rowspan="3"| 1989 || rowspan="3"| You've Always Got The Blues (with Kate Ceberano) || Best Female Artist ||

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|| Best Adult Contemporary Album ||

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|| Best Jazz Album ||

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| rowspan="5"| 1991 || rowspan="2"| Émigré || Best Female Artist

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| 2017 || "F U Cancer" || Vocal Collaboration of the Year ||

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Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Wendy Matthews won one award in that time.

(wins only)

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| 1990

| Wendy Matthews

| Female Rock Performer of the Year

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Rolling Stone Awards

The Rolling Stone Awards. Note: on-line version established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition.

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  • [ Wendy Matthews biography] at Allmusic