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Donna Matthews

b. 1971

Musician

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About Donna Matthews

Born 1971. Donna Matthews is a British guitarist.

Donna Lorraine Matthews (born 2 December 1971) is a Welsh musician who was the lead guitarist of the Britpop band Elastica.

Music career When she was 20, Matthews answered an advert in Melody Maker for a guitarist with a new band. She became a member of Elastica, subsequently becoming one of their songwriters and credited for many of their tracks. Matthews left Elastica in the spring of 1999 after the band's output had waned and she had developed a heroin habit.

After shaking off her drug addiction she formed an unnamed band with bassist Isabel Waidner and Catrin Jones. In May 2003 they produced and sold 1000 copies of a single, called "L.O.V.E."

On 21 January 2017 three-quarters of the original line-up of Elastica – Matthews, Annie Holland and Justin Welch – worked together on the remastering of Elastica.

As of 2022, Matthews has a YouTube channel where she uploads mostly improvisational music.

Other activities

In 1998, Matthews played the role of glam rocker Polly Small in the film Velvet Goldmine. Matthews and Teenage Fanclub also covered the New York Dolls song, Personality Crisis for the soundtrack.

At some point in the early 2000s, Matthews became a dedicated Christian and went on to study music at the Dartington College of Arts in Devon. Interviewed in 2007 by Artisan magazine, she claimed she was still making music but no longer had a desire to be in the public eye, wanting simply to be "rich in love". After spending some time working as a pastor in Totnes, by 2016 she had become a missionary working with the homeless.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Donna Lorraine Matthews

People in Donna Matthews's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Donna Matthews's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Donna Matthews?

musician

When was Donna Matthews born?

Donna Matthews was born on 2 December 1971.

What is Donna Matthews's occupation?

Donna Matthews is a guitarist.

What nationality is Donna Matthews?

Donna Matthews is British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Donna Matthews

· Wikidata: Q5296413

· DBpedia: Donna Matthews

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Donna Matthews. https://biography.guide/donna-matthews/

MLA: "Donna Matthews." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/donna-matthews/.

Chicago: "Donna Matthews." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/donna-matthews/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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