Marybeth D’Amico (Da-MI-co) is known for literate songs that tell dark little stories. Her 2008 debut, Heaven, Hell, Sin & Redemption, was peopled with accused murderers,prostitutes and rebellious teenagers. Perhaps due to her journalistic background, the singer-songwriter seems naturally drawn to themes that have an edge to them. “But I still like people to be able to sing along,” insists Marybeth, who recently returned to the States after a long hiatus in Europe. The release of her second album, The Light Inside, finds the New Jersey native taking a more personal look at the forces of darkness. The album deftly combines these personal reflections with her signature character-driven tunes, in an effort that one critic said “approaches the level of established artists such as Lori McKenna, Patty Griffin, Eliza Gilkyson and Kimmie Rhodes.”

Neither do the songs on The Light Inside easily settle into one genre. “Stubborn Land” could be straight from the Linda Ronstadt country-rock era, “Star-Crossed” the folk ballad Gillian Welch never wrote and “Der Grenzer”—featuring producer Bradley Kopp’s gritty electric guitar — demonstrates a CSNY-style groove. Austin-based Kopp (Iain Matthews, Eliza Gilkyson, Jimmie Dale Gilmore) has brought together world-class musicians for D’Amico’s sophomore effort. Featured are Paul Pearcy (The Dixie Chicks, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Willie Nelson) on drums, Glenn Fukunaga (Bob Dylan, Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo) on bass, David Webb (Jerry Jeff Walker, Jimmy La Fave, Eric Taylor) on keyboards, Mark Hallman (Carole King, Iain Matthews, Dan Fogelberg) on mandolin, mandola and bouzouki, with Kopp himself accompanying the band on acoustic and electric guitars.

Marybeth’s debut drew critical praise on both sides of the Atlantic, launching at #10 on the Euro Americana Charts and chosen as a top DIY pick in Performing Songwriter magazine. BBC 2 DJ Bob Harris called her songs “extraordinary” and Marybeth played a live session on Bob’s show in 2010. She has toured extensively in the U.K., Holland and Germany, sharing stages with Antje Duvekot, Meg Hutchison, Natalia Zuckerman, Jeffrey Foucault, Amanda Shires & Rod Picott, Rachel Harrington and Drew Nelson. The Light Inside is being released by UK Label LongMan Records and more touring is ahead in Europe and the US.

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