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Anthony D'Amato

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Anthony D'Amato
Anthony D'Amato at Brooklyn Bowl, January 2016
Anthony D'Amato at Brooklyn Bowl, January 2016
Background information
Born (1987-11-27) November 27, 1987 (age 37)
Blairstown, New Jersey, United States
GenresIndie folk, rock, americana
Occupation(s)Songwriter, singer, musician
Years active2010 - present
LabelsNew West Records
SpouseJane Beaird
WebsiteOfficial website

Anthony D'Amato (born November 27, 1987), is an American songwriter and singer. His latest album is 2022's At First There Was Nothing.[1]

Biography

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D'Amato grew up in Blairstown, New Jersey, and attended Blair Academy on a scholarship. Anthony's father Chris D'Amato was an editor for rail enthusiast magazines such as Railroad Model Craftsman and Railfan and Railroad, and often took Anthony and his older brother Nicholas on cross country trips to various industrial heritage sites.[2][3] Chris also introduced his sons to the music of Bruce Springsteen.[2] Anthony attended Princeton University, where he recorded his first album, Down Wires, in a dormitory during his senior year, graduating in 2010.[4][5] He released the record independently in 2010, catching the attention of NPR, which called his song "My Father's Son" a "modern folk gem,"[6] and the World Cafe, which featured him in their emerging artist series "Next."[7] D'Amato followed it up with another home recording, Paper Back Bones, which made BBC Scotland's Best Americana Albums of 2012,[8] and was described by host Ricky Ross as "one of [our] favourites of all time."[9]

In 2014, D'Amato released his New West Records debut, The Shipwreck From The Shore, which was inspired in part by his time studying with the Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish poet Paul Muldoon[10] and earned widespread critical acclaim, with NPR noting that "he writes in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen or Josh Ritter"[11] and USA Today saying it "strikes every right note."[12] The album was recorded with producer Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Langhorne Slim) at The Great North Sound Society in Maine with members of Bon Iver and Megafaun.[13] Songs from the record racked up millions of plays on Spotify[14] and turned up on the ABC series Nashville,[15] while the album earned additional praise everywhere from The New York Times[16] and The Wall Street Journal[17] to New York magazine[18] and Billboard.[19]

D'Amato returned in 2016 with Cold Snap, recorded in Omaha, NE, with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, First Aid Kit) and featuring performances by Conor Oberst and members of Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Cursive.[20] Rolling Stone named him an "Artist You Need To Know",[21] and D'Amato made his national TV debut on CBS This Morning.[22]

D'Amato's latest album, 2022's At First There Was Nothing, marked his debut release for the Blue Rose label[23] and earned similar acclaim, with American Songwriter calling it "a new masterpiece"[24] and Mojo awarding it four stars.[25]

D'Amato is also a member of the folk rock supergroup[26] Fantastic Cat, which released its first album, The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat,[27] and made its national TV debut in 2022.[28] Rolling Stone called the album "a wildly satisfying collection of folk-rock, country, Americana, and good old rock & roll"[29] and dubbed the band "the supergroup-you-need-to-know."[30]

Photography

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In addition to his musical work, D'Amato is also an avid photographer[31] whose work has appeared in publications from The Denver Post[32] to TimeOut.[33] Working under the name "Steel Rail Blues" (a reference to the Gordon Lightfoot song of the same name),[34] D'Amato has amassed a large following on Instagram[35] and TikTok[36] for his railroad photography, which focuses primarily on steam trains around the world.[37]

In 2022, D'Amato also released his album "At First There Was Nothing" as a book of his photography,[1] complete with an essay about the record, song lyrics, and an accompanying download of the music.[38]

Personal Life

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D'Amato is married to Jane Beaird, an artist who has made artwork for both D'Amato's solo career and Fantastic Cat.[39][40]

Discography

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  • Down Wires (2010)
  • Paper Back Bones (2012)
  • The Shipwreck From The Shore (2014)
  • Cold Snap (2016)
  • At First There Was Nothing (2022)

See also: Fantastic Cat § Discography

References

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  1. ^ a b Simon, Scott (2022-11-19). "Anthony D'Amato explores uncertainty and transformation in his new folk album". NPR. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
  2. ^ a b Lothes, Scott (June 2010). "Profile: Nicholas D'Amato". railphoto-art.org. Center for Railroad Photography & Art. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Vondrak, Otto (February 16, 2023). "90 Years of Perspective". rrmodelcraftsman.com. White River Productions. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  4. ^ Gorce, Tammy La (2011-01-21). "For Anthony D'Amato's Music, Help From a Pulitzer Winner". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  5. ^ Skelly, Richard. "Bluenotes", Asbury Park Press, November 19, 2010. Accessed August 8, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Anthony D'Amato will perform songs from his new album, Down Wires, Saturday in Princeton. sure writes some serious, poignant songs, and they are showcased on his third CD, Down Wires, which he recorded partly in studios in Brooklyn and partly in his dorm room at Princeton University..... The 2010 graduate of Princeton University was raised in Blairstown, and attended Blairstown [sic] Academy and Princeton on a scholarship administered through Jack Vogel of Vanguard Mutual Funds."
  6. ^ "Anthony D'Amato: Warm And Magnetic". NPR. 2011-01-19. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  7. ^ "Anthony D'Amato On 'World Cafe: Next' : World Cafe". NPR. 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  8. ^ "BBC Radio Scotland - Another Country with Ricky Ross, The best Americana and alt-country music of 2012". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-12-16. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  9. ^ Authorricky (2014-01-30). "True Believers – Ricky's Radio Blog". Rickyross.com. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  10. ^ "Anthony D'Amato: A Songsmith Schooled By A Master Poet". NPR. 2014-08-30. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  11. ^ Bob Boilen. "Anthony D'Amato: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  12. ^ "The Week in Music: Jenny Lewis, Woody Guthrie, more recs". Usatoday.com. 2014-07-18. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  13. ^ Marshall, Alli (2015-10-31). "5 questions with Anthony D'Amato | Mountain Xpress". Mountainx.com. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  14. ^ "Anthony D'Amato on Spotify". Open.spotify.com. 1987-11-27. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  15. ^ ""Cold Comfort" Featured on ABC's Nashville — Anthony D'Amato". Anthonydamatomusic.com. 2016-12-03. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  16. ^ "NY Times Premieres 'The Shipwreck From The Shore'". New West Records. 2014-08-26. Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  17. ^ Hollander, Sophia (2014-08-30). "Young Musician Studies Art of Telling Stories Through Songs". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  18. ^ "NYMAG's Approval Matrix". New West Records. 2014-07-28. Archived from the original on 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  19. ^ Brandle, Lars (25 November 2013). "Anthony D'Amato Signs With New West, Drops 'Ludlow': Exclusive Video Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Anthony d'Amato announces new album, Cold Snap, shares "Rain on a Strange Roof" -- listen". 8 April 2016.
  21. ^ Reed, James (2016-07-01). "Anthony D'Amato | 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: July 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  22. ^ "Anthony D'Amato performs "Rain On A Strange Roof" - Videos". CBS News. 2016-06-18. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  23. ^ "Anthony d'Amato to Release New Solo Album Via Blue Rose". Newjerseystage.com. 18 August 2022.
  24. ^ "Review: Anthony d'Amato Makes a New Masterpiece". 12 October 2022.
  25. ^ "Anthony D'Amato : Mojo (UK)". Pressreader.com. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Warren Zevon's 'Keep Me in Your Heart' Gets Covered by Men Wearing Cat Masks and It's Superb". Rolling Stone. 7 March 2023.
  27. ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: Team Spirit and Thoughtful Songcraft Animate 'The Very Best of Fantastic Cat'".
  28. ^ "Watch CBS Saturday Morning: Fantastic Cat performs "C'mon Armageddon" - Full show on CBS". CBS. 30 December 2023.
  29. ^ a wildly satisfying collection of folk-rock, country, Americana, and good old rock & roll.
  30. ^ "Jesse Malin's 'Downliner' Video Captures a Zen-Like Day in New York". Rolling Stone. 10 February 2023.
  31. ^ "Photography". ANTHONY D'AMATO. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  32. ^ "It's the last weekend for prime leaf-peeping, and it's "resplendent" in SW Colorado". The Denver Post. 2021-10-08. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  33. ^ "The best winter train rides in the USA". Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  34. ^ "Steel Rail Blues | Fine Art Railroad Photography". Steel Rail Blues. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  35. ^ "Steel Rail Blues". Instagram.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  36. ^ "TikTok - Make Your Day". Tiktok.com. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
  37. ^ "Gallery". Steel Rail Blues. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  38. ^ "At First There Was Nothing [Autographed Photo/Lyric Book w/ Download Card]". ANTHONY D'AMATO. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  39. ^ Turman, Katherine (July 15, 2024). "Is Fantastic Cat the 'Wu-Tang Clan of Folk Rock'?". villagevoice.com. The Village Voice. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  40. ^ Beaird, Jane (2022). "Illustration". janebeaird.com. Jane Beaird. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
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