Meet our House Band
The Uninvited Guests
The musical engine behind the Lyrics4Life main stage.
Meet the musical engine of Lyrics4Life — led by Juno Award-winning drummer Matt Sobb, our house band is made up of some of Ottawa's finest: seasoned musicians with the kind of chemistry that only comes from years of shared stages, late nights, and a mutual understanding that great music is always worth showing up for.
What sets this group apart isn't just their musicianship — it's their generosity with it. Before the lights go up, they'll be doing the work that most people never see: learning every contestant's songs, understanding the story behind the lyrics, and finding the musical heartbeat that makes each one come alive. For a songwriter stepping onto that stage, having this band behind you isn't just support — it's a gift. The kind that turns a good performance into an unforgettable one.
They're not just backing a competition. They're making sure every song gets the moment it deserves. And they do it because they love the music. Full stop.
Matt Sobb Drums / MD 
Marty Sobb Guitars 
Corey Sullivan Guitars & vocals 
Tony Dunn Keys, sax, vocals 
Dave Schroeder Bass guitar, vocals
Matt Sobb
MonkeyJunk / Freelance
The one who holds it all together. Literally.
As musical director and house band leader, Matt Sobb has the job that matters most and makes the least noise about it — which is ironic, given that he's a drummer.
Leading the house band means learning every contestant's songs, understanding the heart behind the lyrics, and creating the musical environment where a songwriter can step into the spotlight and feel completely supported. That's not a small thing.
In Matt's hands, it looks effortless — because he's been doing this long enough to know that the best musicians serve the song, not themselves. For every artist who takes our stage, Matt and the band make sure they're not alone.
Marty Sobb
Autumn's Canon / Studio engineer
The apple doesn't fall far from the groove.
If the name sounds familiar, it should. Marty Sobb is a gifted musician in his own right — including as a live 88.5 Big Money Shot winner with Autumn's Canon — and a natural extension of a family tree deeply rooted in Ottawa's music scene.
With his own recordings and performances to his name, Marty brings both pedigree and personality to Lyrics4Life.
Between the Sobb brothers alone, this band has more musical DNA than most cities can claim. We're just glad they chose Ottawa — and us.
Corey Sullivan
Heartbroken / Charlie Major
Makes it look easy. Which is the hardest thing to do.
Corey is the kind of musician who makes it look easy — which, as any musician will tell you, is the hardest thing to do.
A versatile player with a soulful edge and a stage presence that fills a room, Corey brings grit, warmth, and serious chops to the Lyrics4Life house band.
He can play anything with strings on it. Having Corey in a songwriter's corner is like having a secret weapon they didn't know they needed.
Tony Dunn
John Allaire / Teacher / Choir director
The mad musical scientist.
Tony is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist whose feel for a song runs deep and whose career spans decades and genres.
He has the rare ability to lock into any style and make it feel completely natural, which makes him an invaluable tool for our songwriters.
Tony is steady, soulful, and exactly where he needs to be. Every great song deserves a musical chameleon. Ours has Tony Dunn.
Dave Schroeder
Little Bones / Carleton University professor
Consummate professional. Team player. Musician's musician.
Dave is a seasoned Ottawa bassist, guitarist, and educator whose resume speaks for itself. Dr. Dave — PhD in jazz performance — is a music professor at Carleton University by day and rocker by night.
His career has been built on versatility and an instinct for serving the song rather than the spotlight.
Dave is exactly the kind of player who elevates everyone around him. For our contestants, that empathy is everything. A musician's musician, through and through.
