Matthew and Son is the first studio album by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. Stevens began writing songs during his early teenage years. His earliest influences included the sound of early British bands, such as the Beatles and  the Rolling Stones, influenced by popular American Rhythm and Blues music. At the same time, folk influences from artists such as Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel left a strong mark on him, along with some of the musicals being performed so close to his childhood home in Soho that he could often hear them drifting through his room. Stevens's older brother, David Gordon, attracted the attention of the music producer Mike Hurst, formerly of the Springfields, in the hope of finding a producer interested in his younger brother's music. After a demo was recorded, a deal was struck between the two. The album was not released until 1967; however, recording began on 10 July 1966, with a few advance singles appearing around that time.