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Matthew Anthony Nozzolio, of Middletown, died unexpectedly Saturday, August 2, 2008, in New Haven. He was 53. He was the husband of Jean A. Wertz. Matt, who was the official spokesman for the MDC, in Hartford, had a career in newspapers as a reporter and editor. He was also a noted musician, performing bluegrass, blues and folk music. Matt played the Dobro, or resophonic guitar, performing solo as well as with a variety of bluegrass and folk bands. He also performed his own compositions. In the 1990s, Matt toured Europe as a member of Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters. He also performed with Allan Harris and the Cross That River Band, of New York City, the New England bands Charter Oak Bluegrass and The Bristol Boys, and was a frequent guest musician with The Remnants and Horizon Blue. He was a member of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Music Under New York program, for subway musicians, and performed in Connecticut for entertainment programs at Derby Hospital and Meriden’s MidState Medical Center. In 2007, Matt took 3rd place in the 21st annual Blues Challenge, in Greensboro, N.C. As a journalist, Nozzolio was a bureau chief for the New Haven Register, city editor for The Evening Press, in Binghamton, N.Y., and bureau chief for the Finger Lakes Times, in New York. He also worked in communications for United Technologies.

"Thank-you for your wonderful performance. Everyone enjoyed your music very much and you played the guitar like no one else. The slide guitar provided the most exquisite sound and the audience had a great time listening."

-- Kaitlyn Widlak, Battery Park (New York City) Conservancy, producer of Guitars Under the Trees music series.

"Thanks for adding your wonderful talent to the markets. We definitely had repeat customers because of your music!"

-- City Seed Farmers Markets, New Haven, Conn.

Matt is one of the relatively few solo lap-style guitar and dobro players who sings while playing, though he is glad to see more musicians enter the ranks. He is deeply rooted in bluegrass and traditional country music. While his interpretations of classic material emphasize the music's blues-based origins, his shows include "new acoustic" works, swing, gospel and ragtime. He also writes music, and has recorded a 5-song demo and plans to be working on an full album this year.

2007 also saw Matt place 3rd in the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society 21st Annual Blues Challenge. He was 2nd soloist, and the first all-acoustic act.

He has recently teamed up with Jon Swift on upright bass and vocals. Jon is an experienced acoustic musician with a long-time background in American roots music, including bluegrass, blues, and folk music. Jon was a founding member of the popular Connecticut-based acoustic bluegrass band Traver Hollow, and played with that group for 13 years. His steady upright bass work, as well as his lead and harmony vocals and his ability to communicate with listeners, have been enjoyed by the many audiences who listened to Traver Hollow’s live performances in Europe and Canada, as well as much of the U.S. Jon also played electric bass and sang with the Connecticut-based roots country band Lost Highway. In addition to his bass work, his guitar and vocals are currently heard with the acoustic duo Deep Ellum. He lives in Durham, Connecticut.

For much of the 1990s, Matt was a member of Amy Gallatin and Stillwaters. That stint was highlighted by two tours of Europe and participation in the European World of Bluegrass festival.

He left that band and focused on accordion for a couple of years, and actually played little dobro. However, the instrument called to him again, and he returned to it with an even great passion and zeal.

Largely due to a desire to play whenever he wanted, he began to develop his solo playing skills. During his years with the accordion, Matt often played in the street. Now, he is using the dobro and lap-style guitar.

He performs in the New York City subway through the Music Under New York program. He also plays regularly at Griffin Hospital in Derby, Conn., and Midstate Medical Center in Meriden, Conn.

While keeping up a busy solo career (and a day job), he also is a member of Charter Oak Bluegrass, a bluegrass band; The Bristol Boys, playing traditional country music; and Horizon Blue, contemporary folk

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