| Matt Ballinger | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Matthew Samuel Ballinger |
| Born | April 22, 1985 Westchester, New York, United States |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupations | Actor/Singer |
| Years active | 1995─present |
| Associated acts | Dream Street |
Matthew Samuel "Matt" Ballinger (born April 22, 1985; Westchester, New York) is an American singer and actor best known for being a member of boy band Dream Street. He has one younger brother, David.
Ballinger was always passionate about music. In fifth grade, he became involved in the Broadway music world. He was in A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden for two years, and later had a part in Broadway's plays such as The King and I, Inherit the Wind, and The Sound of Music.[1]
He also did commercials for Sudafed, Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues, AT&T, and Dannon Yogurt.[2] He made TV appearances on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, NBC Today, and 1998 Tony Awards.[3]
Matt has played lacrosse for his school's varsity lacrosse team, The Panthers, since he was eight.[2]
He was a member of the music group Dream Street from 1999 to 2002, along with Frankie J. Galasso, Chris Trousdale, Jesse McCartney & Greg Raposo. While Dream Street were on tour opening for Aaron Carter in the winter of 2002, Ballinger missed three months of school and got tutored while on the road.[1]
After the break of the band Matt returned to everyday high school life.[1] In 2003 he finished high school and was accepted into Tufts University in Massachusetts. During his study in the university in 2004 he started singing in a new band called "The Juice" consisting of Matt (vocals), Leon Mandler (vocals/harmonica), Mike Vitiello (guitar), Ken Kitchin (other guitar), Jim Govatsos (percussion), and Mikey Haendler (bass).[4] In 2007 their album "See Where it Goes" became available on iTunes and some other online music distribution services.
On November 8, 2008 Matt officially announced on the bands Myspace account that The Juice has indeed broken up, he also announced that he had joined another band, Open Till Midnight. Open Till Midnight is a New York City based rock band consisting of Matt Ballinger (vocals), Ross Deutsch on lead guitar, Mike Cook on rhythm guitar, Keith Gooberman on bass, and Jonathan Chamberlain on drums.[5]
Also known as the "brain of the group" by Jesse McCartney, he just recently graduated from Tufts University in Boston in 2007.
Jesse McCartney also stated in an interview in 2008 that he keeps in touch with Matt and revealed that Matt was working for a law firm.
Matt has recently starred in a short film called Elah and the Moon. (2009)