Biography

Matthew J. "Matt" Bonelli, born in 1954, was a professional musician and professor of music at the School Of Music at the University of Miami. He is perhaps best known as the studio and touring bass guitar player for the Bee Gees from 1993-2003. Bonelli was a major figure in the South Florida Jazz scene, studied with legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius among others, and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1986 and his master's degree in 1988 from the School Of Music, where he would eventually return to instruct, along with serving as the Director of the Jazz Department at Miami Dade College. He died unexpectedly on October 10, 2024 in West Palm Beach.