Marc Douglas Berardo

Artist Information

Biography

2013 "Rammie" Award-Show of the Year with Bob Sima, Rams Head Onstage, MD
2012 DJ "Top 10 best of" Year End Pick- The Village -XM/Sirius Radio
2011-Nominee-Best Male Vocalist-Motif Magazine
2010-Finalist-Sisters Folk Festival-Sisters, OR
2010 Honorable Mention-Rocky Mt Folks Fest-Lyons,CO
2010-Honorable Mention-Telluride Troubadour Contest,CO
2007 Tri-Centric Showcase Artist Northeast Regional Folk Alliance
2007 Finalist-Plowshares Song Contest, PA
2006 Finalist-Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, CO
2006- Honorable Mention-Telluride Troubadour Contest,CO
2006-Finalist-Wildflower Arts and Music Festival, TX
2006-Finalist-Suwannee Springfest Song Contest, FL
2005-Mid-Atlantic Song Association-Contest Award, VA
2005 Finalist -Plowshares Song Contest, PA
2004-2005-2006 ASCAP Song Award
2004 Just Plain Folks Music Award Nominee, Los Angelos,CA
2004 Finalist -Plowshares Song Contest, PA
2003 Finalist- Rose Garden Song Contest, Ma
2001 New Artist Showcase- Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, NY
2000 Winner- Suwannee Springfest Song Contest, FL
1989 Employeee of the Month-Crab Shanty, Mamaroneck, NY

Marc Douglas Berardo is the kind of hard working, fast moving, adventure seeking, keen observer who lives for the story and the song.In what amounts to song length works of fiction, Berardo’s sharply drawn portraits cast a net on unusual and beguiling characters and places. With a painter’s eye for detail, and music firmly rooted in the great American sound, Berardo sings about circus retirees, expatriates in Florida rum bars, union iron workers, old poets, aimless New York City debutantes, near death car crashes, hard nosed fishermen and of course, the changes that experience brings to everyone. He does this “simply and well” with what Rambles Cultural Magazine calls: “careful images and great tunes.”

“I try to write about people and situations that interest and entertain me. Subjects and places that I feel a connection with and that are unique in a quiet way. Real people and places caught in the moment, almost like a documentary film or a novel. At the same time, I need the music itself to take me somewhere…to make me feel something. The words have to sing and the music has to work. The kind of song that does those things is my idea of a good time.”

Berardo performs an average of 150 nights a year everywhere from bars and coffeehouses to theaters and national festivals. Places such as the legendary Town Crier Cafe and Postcrypt Coffeehouse in New York to the world famous Trade Winds Cantina in North Florida and even St Anne's Chapel in Vatican City, Italy. Along the way he has shared the stage with a variety of national acts including, Peter Rowan, NRBQ, Guy Clark, Vassar Clements, Ralph Stanley, blues legend Chris Smither, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members The Buffalo Springfield, Brooks Williams, Norman Blake (Oh Brother Soundtrack), Steve Forbert, Mustard's Retreat, Eric Anderson, The New Riders of the Purple Sage, Red Molly, Garnet Rogers, Greg Trooper, Cliff Eberhardt, Cheryl Wheeler, Livingston Taylor, Kate Taylor, The Pousette Dart Band, Kevin Welch, The Kennedy's and John Haitt among others. As a member of The DesBerardo Band with his brother Chris, Marc has been a part of shows with classic rock acts including Little Feat, The Marshall Tucker Band, Badfinger, The Doobie Brothers, David Allen Coe, Levon Helm and others.

Marc Douglas Berardo's new CD entitled: DOWNHAULER (his 5th) will be released by the Horizon Music Group in early 2011. This new collection of songs continues Marc’s collaboration with long time producer Prof. Dick Neal. The CD features performances from among others: Nashville multi instrumentalist Liam Bailey (Bill Frisell, Rodney Atkins), the signature harmonies of Brother Chris Berardo (Chris Berardo and The DesBerardos), Violinist Larry Deming (Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, James Taylor) and Americana Music sensations RED MOLLY on the soulful ballad “Quiet Places.”

Berardo lives in a fortified compound on a river by the ocean near Westerly, RI.

Instrumentation

John Juxo - Piano, Accordian
Paul Triff - Drums & Percusion
Bill Kelly - Guitar, Dobro, mandola
Craig Akin - Bass

Discography

-NEW CD Whalebone MAY 2013 (Trespass Music)
Downhauler (Horizon Music Group 2011)
Harbor (Munga Music June 2007)
As You Make Your Way (Hayloft Records 2003)
Second Chance (Hayloft Records 2000)
Further On Tomorrow (1999)

Official Website

http://www.MarcDouglas.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• CDBABY

Audio

• Passing Through
  Listen  
• Lightning
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• Another Song
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• Quiet Places
  Listen  
• Wherever I Go
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• Ruby
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• Take it Along
  Listen  
• Smokegun Jack Daydreams
  Listen  
• Havana
  Listen  

Lyrics

• You Are Already Gone
• With Every Passing Day
• Passing Through
• Havana
• Something Real (Neal and Jenny)
• Harbor
• The Road To Shell and Sand
• Just One
• Abuse
• Bottom of the Bottle
• Quiet Places

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Downhauler blew me away...John Platt-WFUV FM, NY [+ Show ]
  

  "Your new CD is killer. I don't often spontaneously reach out to an artist after the first hearing b..."Your new CD is killer. I don't often spontaneously reach out to an artist after the first hearing but Downhauler blew me away. What a great collection of songs!."

• Downhauler-Johnny's Garden Magazine, Netherlands [+ Show ]
  

  "Downhauler's sound has an affinity with the Californian folk-rock of the 1970's. The CD targets a ..."Downhauler's sound has an affinity with the Californian folk-rock of the 1970's. The CD targets a mature audience.Narrative simplicity in the best sense of the word."

• Berardo drops a gem with Downhauler! [+ Show ]
  

  "Berardo drops a gem with DOWNHAULER! He is back from his travels with a cargo hold full of treasu..."Berardo drops a gem with DOWNHAULER!
  He is back from his travels with a cargo hold full of treasure. Like Hemingway,he draws his characters with pithy phrases."

• Most-listened to discs of 2006 and, so far, of 2007. [+ Show ]
  

  There are few things more delightful than discovering a talented singer/songwriter. I stumbled ont...There are few things more delightful than discovering a talented
  singer/songwriter. I stumbled onto Marc Douglas Berardo's disc Harbor
  and ended up doing him a disservice... I was so enamored it lived in my truck for well over a month before I cataloged it and took it into the Folk Show library at WPSU here in Central Pennsylvania.
  
  You can almost smell the salt air and feel the cracked, weathered wood of a ramshackle pier beneath your deck shoes when Marc sings these songs, rich with the hardships, triumphs and tragedies of the locals in the harbor town he now calls home. Hurricanes, Portugese fisherman,
  fried fish houses, Kennedys and kings abound. Driven by Marc's smooth voice and fluid, melodic guitar work, the songs crackle with life and emotion. I find myself most often, though, returning to the gentle hope and optimism of one of my favorite cuts, "Take it Along;"
  
  …take it along/give a little bit away/do something real and feel
  something every day…"
  
  Plain and simple, this disc moves me. Highly recommended - one of my most-listened to discs of 2006 and, so far, of 2007.
  
  -Jim Colbert, The Folk Show, WPSU-FM, Pennsylvania
  

• The Muses Muse Magazine Online -Harbor [+ Show ]
  

  I love this. Every once in awhile, a great CD falls into my lap and I love it. This is why I review ...I love this. Every once in awhile, a great CD falls into my lap and I love it. This is why I review CDs. To discover someone I’ve never heard of and in the normal course of life, probably never would. Marc Douglas Berardo is one such writer. His new CD, Harbor is lovely and well worth the listen. Let me say right from the beginning, this man can write. I wasn’t sure with the first cut, Blue Wave, but he had me from the second cut on. Shake Out The Dust, the 2nd track on the CD, is a beautifully written story of the impact cancer has on a family. It’s told in simple straightforward images – written like a conversation and so effective. I was there.
  
  Take It Along is simple, that’s how good Berardo is. He writes simply with careful images and great tunes. I want to sing his songs. His voice is similar to John Prine and others like him, and maybe that’s where the success lies. It is so difficult to write simply and well. Berardo does both. It also helps that he can certainly play his guitar. He tells stories about his life – Where The Road Turns to Shell and Sand and the beautiful title track, Harbor. Life in a port town dependant on the fishing industry and his love of the sea. These are real life stories and in the hands of a good writer all that more believable.
  
  It’s not surprising that folks are paying attention to Berardo. He’s been a winner and finalist in a lot of songwriting contests. He deserves it. Most of the CD is acoustic but there are a few rootsy songs as well. The similarity between Berardo and Prine comes through on these. The writing impressed me. He’s good. There is a song called Abuse which starts with….go down Moses, go down Abraham/save the child from the wretched men….I love it.
  

• Northeast In Tune-Berardo is first and foremost a storyteller [+ Show ]
  

  "Berardo is first and foremost is a storyteller...The title song of Berardo’s Harbor CD is a stellar..."Berardo is first and foremost is a storyteller...The title song of Berardo’s Harbor CD is a stellar example of the type of storytelling
  which is a part of all of his work. Berardo weaves the personal with the universal to help listeners of all sorts relate to his tales."
  -Kathryn Vercillo -Northeast In Tune Magazine
  
  

• Real Life Stories-Harbor-Rambles-A Cultural Arts Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "These are real-life stories and, in the hands of a good writer, all that more believable. It's not ..."These are real-life stories and, in the hands of a good writer, all that more believable. It's not surprising that folks are paying attention to Berardo. He's been a winner and finalist in a lot of songwriting contests. He deserves it."-Rambles-A Cultural Arts Magazine

• Reminds me of Don Henley.. [+ Show ]
  

  "Marc Douglas Berardo's songs are like a day at the beach, filled with sensual images, of beautiful ..."Marc Douglas Berardo's songs are like a day at the beach, filled with sensual images, of beautiful sights, warm breezes,
  salty ocean spray. Dig under the surface and you'll find cool dark sand waiting to be brought to the surface and swept out to sea.
  He reminds me of Don Henley or JohnSmith."-Lee Larcheveque- host of The Acoustic Cafe 91.1 FM WMUA UMass- Amherst, MA
  

• Toledo City Paper [+ Show ]
  

  "Marc's music is like a warm breeze in March when hopes are high for a thaw...his knack for hooking ..."Marc's music is like a warm breeze in March when hopes are high for a thaw...his knack for hooking a phrase and defining melodies keeps your auditory canal perked."-Steven J. Athanas-Toledo City Paper -Best Of 2003-Ohio

• Northeast Performer Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "Marc Douglas Berardo writes thoughtful ballads that explore the rough spots of everyday life. He ha..."Marc Douglas Berardo writes thoughtful ballads that explore the rough spots of everyday life. He has an eye for unusual and interesting song topics. “The Rum Diary” imagines Hunter S. Thompson's wasted artiste “shadowboxing the muse” in a richly described island landscape. The laid-back musical setting drifts off like a raft towards the horizon. On As You Make Your Way, Berardo shows that determination can pay off. "-Danielle Dreilinger -Northeast Performer Magazine.

• Minor 7th [+ Show ]
  

  "His lonesome, clear voice easily carries an aching beauty through introspective songs such as "Unte..."His lonesome, clear voice easily carries an aching beauty through introspective songs such as "Untethered" and "The Rum Diary."
  "The Story (Life After Hemingway)" is a lyrical stand-out, a kind of anti-"Starry Starry Night" for serious students of the heart."
  - Steve Klingaman- Minor 7th Magazine.
  
  

• Bryter Layter Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "This man's music taste like a walk on a golden autum day...the typical sound of Iowa, Wyoming, Nort..."This man's music taste like a walk on a golden autum day...the typical sound of Iowa, Wyoming, North Carolina, Florida...it is simply, great American music." David Wonschewski -Bryter Layer Magazine Berlin, Germany.

• Indie-Music.com [+ Show ]
  

  "Another indie gem. I feel like I’ve made a special discovery. Imagine Bruce Springsteen stories as ..."Another indie gem. I feel like I’ve made a special discovery. Imagine Bruce Springsteen stories as Glen Frey of The Eagles would tell them. Jackson Browne would kill to cover some of these songs. This is beautiful work. A gorgeous CD. A perfect soundtrack for the upcoming summer months." Jennifer Layton-Indie-Music.com.

Setlist

Typcal setlist is 45 minutes long.

Can also do up to 3 hours with two 15 minute breaks.
Original sets are often mixed with a few choice covers including:
The Beatles, The Band, Bob Dylan, Darrell Scott, James Taylor, Van Morrison, The Allman Brothers, Loggins and Messina, Joni Mitchell, Guy Clark, Crosby, Nash, Stills, Young, Jackson Browne,Earth, Wind and Fire,Cheap Trick, The Grateful Dead, Jimmy Webb, Jimmmy Buffett, James Taylor, Steely Dan, Nanci Griffith,Warren Zevon, Marvin Gaye, The Eagles, Jim Croce, Bob Marley and so many more (seriously). I will get them singing, crying or dancing depending on the mood of the room.

Basic Requirements

Calendar