MARY BALDASANO / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Matt Reeves in concert Advertisement

Matt Reeves is truly amazing.

If you were to see him on stage in Las Vegas, you would think he has been in the music business for 20 years or more. His tall, but stocky frame and maturity give the impression of a much older personality.

In actuality, he is only 16. His performance at the Bob Ruud Community Center, in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation June 2, pleased a crowd of at least 50 people.

It may not seem like a lot, but each one was completely enraptured by his voice and the songs he sang.

Reeves is able to change his voice to impersonate many greats such as Elvis, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves, Hank Williams, and many more.

The songs themselves tell of a true talent as they are truly challenging for any singer.

The songs were "That's Alright Mama," "CC Ryder," "Please Release Me," "Proud Mary," "Boot Scootin' Boogey," and more. His band played "Help Me Make It through the Night," and "Today, I Started Loving You Again."

The only problem with the performance was that the music was too loud for the small area. It was a little difficult to hear the singer in some instances. Otherwise, it was a real crowd pleaser and great dancing music.

The Reeves have been in Pahrump for nine years and Matt's first performance was at the Stage Stop Casino at 17 months of age.

He is a learned guitar player and has played lead guitar for his father's (Jack Reeves) band for four years.

Reeves has written 20 of his own songs such as a "Family Full of Love," and has his own label, Nashville West. He hopes to open his own recording studio here in the near future.

Jack Reeves also entertained the audience with his impersonations of Hank Williams -- Senior and Junior.

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that is life-threatening as it causes mucus buildup in the lungs and pancreas as well as other body organs. This buildup causes bacteria to get stuck in the airways, which leads to lung damage.

In the event the patient gets pneumonia, death is imminent. The latest information is that 30,000 people nationwide have the disease, while 10 million are carriers of the disease. Normal average life expectancy is 36. For more information about this disease and current treatment advances, visit the website at www.cff.org.

Virginia Patterson is the organizer of the local chapter and has a grandson who has the disease.

She said, "The best cystic fibrosis care center is at UC San Diego. If you or a family member has or is diagnosed with the disease, get on the transplant list, it takes quite some time to get one. These transplants can cost as much as $2 million."

All the money raised at the concert was to benefit new research. A raffle was held and six-foot long sandwiches were auctioned off for additional funds. Call 727-1300 to make a donation.

The entire evening was a great success as Reeves is a true entertainer, as well as a very personable individual. He is only 16, but his future is assured.