Who Is Matt butler?
“Matt Butler is a brilliant singer songwriter and a deeply honest and honorable man”
“Redemption & hope through song sums it up when I think of Matt Butler.”
— Kevin Lyman, Founder of Vans Warped Tour/Kevin Lyman Group
Matt Butler shows have an organic and mysterious quality. There are tears, but there is also laughter. Whether he’s performing at a theater, a state prison or delivering a keynote for a mental health conference, Butler delivers an experience that engages and transforms his audience. Everyone ends up feeling a little more whole, more human, and more connected – often with a changed view of the world around them.
Blending rock and folk styles with a few lingering hints of his punk roots, Butler’s music shines a light into some of the darkest corners of our world. He paints vivid pictures of pain and truth while exposing the glimmers of hope that only exist in those raw moments where redemption is born.
That skillful storytelling has led Butler to some unlikely venues. Shortly after the release of his debut album Reckless Son in 2016, Butler wrote and performed ‘Just One’, the original song for the feature length and nationally distributed documentary Generation Found - A film about teens struggling with substance abuse and special schools supporting their path to recovery. Touring in support of the film and the album Butler performed everywhere from Paramount Studios in Los Angeles to jails and homeless shelters and everything in between.
In November of 2016, Butler was invited to play a concert for the incarcerated population “behind the walls” of Albany County Jail. Following a glowing reception, word of the show quickly spread and requests to perform at other facilities culminated in an entire ‘Behind the Walls’ Tour of state prisons across Ohio. Afterwards, he was named a ‘2017 Leader In Mental Health Awareness’ by The National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI). Deeply inspired by these experiences, Butler established the Just One Foundation(501c3) in 2018 which brings art with a mission and a message into underserved communities.
Meanwhile, Butler’s mainstream success continued to flourish in another unlikely place – the final cross-country Vans Warped Tour in. Having grown up in the punk rock clubs of downtown New York City, Butler thrived amongst the mosh pits despite being a solo acoustic act. Warped fans were drawn to the troubadour’s earnest message and his presence on the tour was so well-received that he was invited to perform as a mainstage artist at the Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary show the following summer in Atlantic City, NJ.
Butler kicked off 2020 by releasing the David Bendeth (Paramore, Bruce Hornsby) produced anthem ‘Like A River’ - a track inspired by the chance to be of service that exists in each moment of everyday life. As he continues to record, Butler’s new music draws heavily on the stories of people he’s met on the road and behind the walls. With accessible writing and relatable characters, upcoming singles like ‘Justice or Mercy’ and ‘Tell Lucy That I Love Her’ can’t help but stir compassion in a listener. Each song has a transcendent quality that shows us how universal our struggles and experiences can really be.
To date, Butler has now performed over 150 shows at more than 30 correctional facilities across 11 states and continues this work alongside his regular touring. He’s a staple figure at New York City’s famous ‘Rockwood Music Hall’ and performs in venues as diverse as high schools, yoga centers and spiritual retreats. He’s also gained recognition as a sought after keynote speaker (with guitar in hand, of course).
Testimonials
“I can’t thank Matt enough for the time he spent here at the facility. His stories resonated and touched many hearts to the core. The way he connected with the students was magical, simply incredible. And the music, to say it was inspirational would be a gross understatement. Not only does he have the talent musically, but more importantly he has the ability to connect emotionally. That’s what makes him so special.” ”
“The impact created by Matt Butler and his music cannot be measured through these few penned words. Through his music, lyrics, and challenging life experiences, Matt has created an opportunity for those who are incarcerated to experience HOPE. During his concerts, Matt engages the soul of his listeners, offering a self-forgiving opportunity to those who like him have faced difficult times. ”
— Warden Karen Taylor, Camden County Correctial Facility, NJ
“In a world that promotes self-branding and posturing, Matt uses his skillful storytelling to encourage our young boys to be their perfectly flawed and authentic selves. With the ability to breathe stillness into a room of high-energy adolescents, Matt uses his own life experiences and music to get our boys to step out of a world of superficial connections and to dig deeper. ”
— Samara Spielberg, Head of Advisory and Spanish Department, The Allen-Stevenson School
“Matt Butler’s music and story inspired me to use my experience of traumatic events, addiction to the lifestyle of using and selling drugs and pain/guilt/shame to in turn write my own music. Since then I’ve written six songs and it’s the best coping skill I’ve developed to express my emotions and temporarily free my soul from these confined walls.”
— TeeJ, Detainee, Chesterfield County Jail
“I discovered you a couple of years ago and I want to let you know that your music has been one of the things that helped me survive while my son was away at prison due to a drug problem. I spent many nights listening to your songs crying my eyes out hoping and praying that he would find his way home healthy and safe. I’m happy to say he’s been home for about a week now and just last night I introduced him to your music and it really touched him. I looked over and there were tears in his eyes too.”
— Cristi J
“Matt Butler can bring a tear to an eye, a smile to a lonely soul, hope for a broken heart, and promise for a better future all in a few words. A modern day musical impressionist. ”
— David Bendeth, Producer/A&R (Paramore, Bruce Hornsby, Cowboy Junkies)
“Matt Butler is one of the most insightful storytellers that I have ever had the pleasure to work with. His ability to turn personal trials or socially minded topics into compelling songs is a gift that he has worked hard to hone and master. I expect great things from him in the near future. ”
— Bob Chiappardi, Founder, Concrete Marketing (Metallica, Guns’N’Roses)
“Matt Butler has been inspirational to hundreds of our Heroin Addiction Recovery Program participants over the last two years. The atmosphere of hope he creates when in any room is one the participants can quickly identify with, attach to, and use for their own personal motivation in their own recovery for years to come. Matt is saving lives at every turn, every visit, and with every chord he plays and note he sings.”
— Sheriff Karl Leonard, Chesterfield County Jail, VA
Video
'Just One' Official Video
'Just One' Live At The Vivant Smart Home Arena - Instead Youth Summit
'I Won't Back Down' Live at Averill Park High School
'Good Friday' Official Video
'Tell Lucy That I Love Her' Live at the Chesterfield County Jail
'St. Christopher's Inn' Live at the Sheen Center (Innaugural CARE Talks)
Just One Foundation - Albany County
'Just One' Live at The Allen-Stevenson School
'Tell Lucy That I Love Her' Live At Pinckney Community High School
Notable Performances/awards
Selected Honors and Notable Performances
Honors/Awards:
- 2017 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Leader in Mental Health Awareness - Albany, NY
Venues/festivals:
- Rockwood Music Hall
- 2014 - 2020 Regular performer
- 2018 Residency
- 2020 15-Year Anniversary Concert Series
- 2018 Vans Warped Tour - National tour
- 2019 Mainstage performer at Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary Show - Atlantic City, NJ
- 2019/20 Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health - Stockbridge, MA
- 2020 American Folk Art Museum – New York, NY
Keynote Performer/Speaker:
- 2014/15 Freedom Institute Annual Gala - Mandarin Hotel/St. Regis Hotel, New York, NY
- 2016 Caron Foundation Annual Gala - Cipriani, New York, NY
- 2016 David Lynch Foundation’s ‘Recovery, Meditation, and the Brain’ - Paley Center, New York, NY
- 2016/2017 Ashley Treatment Center Alumni Homecoming - Havre De Grace, MD
- 2017 David Lynch Foundation’s ‘Change Begins Within’ Gala - Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
- 2017 Facing Addiction In America Summit/Surgeon General’s Address - Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, CA
- 2018 FEND Launch Gala - The Cutting Room, New York City
- 2018 Davis Direction Foundation Gala - Marietta, GA
- 2018 13th Judicial Recovery Court - Cookeville, TN
- 2019 FEND Gala - Lexington, KY
- 2019 Ohio Drug Summit (ASAP) Conference - Warren, OH
- 2019 Florida Behavioral Health Conference (BHCon) - Orlando, FL
- 2019 NAMI Denver ‘The Intersection of Mental Health and Criminal Justice - Making Music for a Cause’ - Denver, CO
- 2019 NAMI New York State Education Conference ‘ Building A Movement’ - Albany, NY
Schools/Youth:
- 2017 Archway Academy - Houston, TX
- 2018 Pinckney High School - Pinckney, MI
- 2018 Albany Youth Summit - Albany Capitol Center, Albany, NY
- 2018 Instead Conference - Vivant Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
- 2018 Hope Academy - Madison, IN
- 2019 Kolbe Academy Opening/Ribbon Cutting - Bethlehem, PA
- 2019 Allen-Stevenson School - New York, NY
- 2019 Averill Park High School - Albany, NY
Rallies:
- 2016/17 Ohio State House - Columbus, OH
- 2017 New York State Capitol Building - Albany, NY
- 2017/18 Michigan State Capitol Building - Lansing, MI
- 2018 Artful Advocacy/FED UP - Washington, DC
- 2018 Rally For Recovery - Huntington Park, Columbus, OH
- 2018/19 Recovery In The Park - Albany, NY
- 2019 Rally In The Valley - Bethlehem, PA
Treatment Centers:
- 2016-19 Ashley Treatment Center - Havre De Grace, MD
- 2018 Caron Foundation - Wernersville, PA
- 2018 The Sobering Center - Danbury, CT
- 2018 New Leaf Recovery Center - Cookeville, TN
- 2018 Caron Renaissance - Boca Raton, FL
- 2018 St. Christopher’s Inn - Garrison, NY
- 2018 The Other Side Academy - Salt Lake City, UT
Correctional Facilities:
Colorado
-
Larimer County Jail
Indiana
- Madison Women’s Correctional Facility
Kentucky
- Kenton County Detention Center
- Kentucky River Regional Jail
Maryland
- Harford County Jail
Michigan
- Jackson/G Robert Cotton Prison
- Huron Valley Women’s Correctional
- Wayne County Jail
- Ingham County Jail
- Oakland County Jail
- Washtenaw County Jail
New Jersey
- Camden County Correctional
New York
- Albany County Correctional
- Manhattan Detention Complex
- Vernon C. Bain Center
- Rikers Island (GMDC and RMKC)
Ohio
- Chillicothe Correctional
- Noble Correctional
- Madison Correctional
- Pickaway Correctional
- Grafton Correctional
- Ohio Reformatory for Women (Marysville)
- NEOCAP
Tennessee
- Grundy County Jail
- Franklin County Jail
- DeKalb County Jail
Utah
- Utah State Prison
- Central Utah Correctional Facility (Gunnison)
Virginia
- Chesterfield County Jail
- Pamunkey County Jail
- Henrico County Jail
- Fauquier County Detention Center
- Fairfax County Detention Center