Anthony D'Amato (born November 27, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and photographer. He is known for his folk-rock and Americana music, as well as his railroad photography under the name "Steel Rail Blues."
Early Life and Education
D'Amato grew up in Blairstown, New Jersey, and attended Blair Academy on a scholarship. He graduated from Princeton University in 2010, where he majored in English and wrote his senior thesis on Bruce Springsteen and the literature of American alienation. While at Princeton, he studied with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon and composer Paul Lansky, and recorded his first album, Down Wires, in his dorm room.
Music Career
D'Amato's debut album, Down Wires (2010), was released independently and caught the attention of NPR, which called his song "My Father's Son" a "modern folk gem." He followed with Paper Back Bones (2012), which was named to BBC Scotland's Best Americana Albums of 2012.
In 2014, D'Amato signed with New West Records and released The Shipwreck From The Shore, produced by Sam Kassirer. The album earned widespread acclaim, with NPR noting that "he writes in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen or Josh Ritter." He performed a Tiny Desk Concert for NPR that same year.
His 2016 album Cold Snap was produced by Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) in Omaha, Nebraska, and featured performances by Conor Oberst and members of Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Cursive. Rolling Stone named him an "Artist You Need to Know," and he made his national television debut on CBS This Morning.
D'Amato's most recent album, At First There Was Nothing (2022), was released on the Blue Rose label and recorded in American Fork, Utah, with producer Joshua James. American Songwriter called it "a new masterpiece," and Mojo awarded it four stars.
D'Amato is also a member of the folk-rock supergroup Fantastic Cat, which released its debut album The Very Best of Fantastic Cat in 2022.
Photography
Under the name "Steel Rail Blues" (a reference to the Gordon Lightfoot song), D'Amato is an avid railroad photographer whose work focuses primarily on steam trains around the world. His photography has appeared in publications including The Denver Post and TimeOut, and he has amassed a large following on Instagram and TikTok.
Personal Life
D'Amato is married to Jane Beaird, an artist who has created artwork for both his solo career and Fantastic Cat.
Discography
- Down Wires (2010)
- Paper Back Bones (2012)
- The Shipwreck From The Shore (2014)
- Cold Snap (2016)
- At First There Was Nothing (2022)
