Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Ascione is a guitarist with Max Impact, The United States Air Force Band, Washington, D.C. In addition to his performance duties, Ascione is the Section Chief of Outreach and Media Relations for the organization. Originally from Annapolis, Maryland, his Air Force career began in October 1995. Before joining the Air Force, Ascione performed at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, Virginia, and on Premier cruise lines.
His first assignment was lead guitarist for the rock group Galaxy with the Band of the Golden West, Travis AFB, California. In August 1998, he began serving as lead guitarist for the rock group Hana Ho, Hickam AFB, Hawaii. He has been a member of The United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C., since August 1999.
Air Force career highlights include performances with legendary artists such as Bryan White, Roy Clark, Jeffrey Osbourne, Restless Heart and Clint Black. Ascione is also a notable record producer and songwriter, penning 16 original songs and producing 7 small group recordings for The U.S. Air Force Band.
In addition to his duties with the Air Force, Ascione is an active freelance musician, recording engineer and record producer in the D.C. area, with multiple engineering and production credits to his name. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in cyber security policy and management at University of Maryland University College.
In 2007, 2013 and 2016, Ascione deployed with small groups from The U.S. Air Force Band, traveling to Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. These groups performed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, performing diplomatic and troop morale missions.