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 is both a singer songwriter as well as the founder of Art That Serves, an organization dedicated to bringing the arts to incarcerated populations. His new solo show 'Reckless Son' recounts the story of how his concert at the Albany County Jail led to performing over 150 concerts in jails and prisons across the country. A studio album containing all the music from the show was released in 2023.
Butler has also collaborated with or been a feature performer at events held by The David Lynch Foundation, The Columbia Center For Justice, American Folk Art Museum, National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI), The Caron Foundation and he was selected as an inaugural ‘Activist In Residence’ at the Kripalu Center in the Berkshires. Along with correctional facilities, he performs at colleges and universities, high schools, and retreat centers. He's been artist in residence at HB Studio in Manhattan and his work has been featured on The Blue Grass Situation, PBS and NPR Morning Edition.
Contact Matt: Matt@Mattbutlersongs.com
Testimonials
“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)
“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 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’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 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
