Matthew West

== Early life ==

Matthew West was born on April 25, 1977, in [[Downers Grove, Illinois]].<ref name="JFH-disc">{{cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/MatthewWest.asp |title=Matthew West Discography |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |access-date=June 27, 2008}}</ref><ref name="breathecast-StS">{{cite web |url=http://www.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.Artist-Matthew.West/Article-237_1935.htm |title=Matthew West Gives Critics and Fans Something to Say |publisher=BREATHEcast.com |date=January 25, 2008 |access-date=July 1, 2008}}</ref> As a child he was a fan of his hometown [[baseball]] team, the [[Chicago Cubs]], and wanted to eventually have a career in baseball.<ref name="2004 interview">{{cite web |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2004/matthewwest-0304.html |title=Staying in the Game |work=[[Christianity Today|Christian Music Today]] |date=March 15, 2004 |access-date=June 30, 2008}}</ref> He played baseball throughout high school at [[Downers Grove North High School]], becoming team captain as a senior; he also performed in the school's Chamber Choir. He was hoping for a college baseball scholarship but instead ended up receiving a four-year music scholarship at [[Millikin University]] in [[Decatur, Illinois]] where he was a part of the [[InterVarsity Christian Fellowship]] chapter. He graduated from Millikin in 1999.<ref name="2004 interview" />