Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band

Matthew Sabatella is a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, performer, educator, and interpreter of traditional American folk songs. In 2001, he began developing Ballad of America, a multi-faceted program that preserves America's rich musical heritage and presents it in a relevant way for the 21st century. He whole-heartedly believes in the power of traditional folk music to inspire people and help them better understand people and events from the past.

Matthew frequently performs live with his guitar, banjo, mountain dulcimer, and harmonicas. Whenever possible, he is joined by the Rambling String Band, which expands the instrumentation to include fiddle, bass fiddle, and mandolin. Whether the performance is geared towards adults, families, or children, Matthew gets the audience singing along, thereby bridging the gap between them and the people who came before.

In February of 2005, Matthew released the CD Ballad of America Volume 1: Over a Wide and Fruitful Land. The album tells the story of the westward expansion of the country through traditional songs. He released Ballad of America Volume 2: America Singing, which serves as a sort of greatest hits of American folk music, in February of 2007.

In 2008, with the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln looming, Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band set out to record a collection of songs that had personal and political significance to the 16th President of the United States. Songs in the Life of Abraham Lincoln (Ballad of America Volume 3) is the result of that effort. The traditional acoustic arrangements of Lincoln's favorite folk and popular songs enable 21st century listeners to better understand the man himself and the times in which he lived.

Visit BalladofAmerica.com for free song downloads, videos, CD information, and live performance dates.