Album Notes

Downhauler: One of ten: Favorite New Releases for 2012-XM/Sirius Radio-The Village with host Mary Sue Twohy.

"Downhauler just blew me away. What a great collection of songs!"-John Platt-Host of Sunday Breakfast, WFUV FM, NY.

"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.-Johnny's Garden Magazine, Netherlands-Rein van den Berg
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The Horizon Music Group is proud to announce the February 2011 release of Downhauler, the new album from songwriter and keen observer Marc Douglas Berardo. This new collection of songs continues Marc’s collaboration with long time producer Prof. Dick Neal (Hoe,The Mockingbirds). 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.”

Regarding the new CD, Marc says: “All of the lyrics on Downhauler are, in some way, about searching for home, the possibility of renewal and the promise of adventure. I began to write this particular set of tunes over a few days while staying in the Castillo Real Hotel in St Augustine, Florida. The Spanish influence of the old town and the hotel got me to thinking about exotic locations like Cuba and Bimini. I started looking at maps and picking other places to go. I definitely had some travel fever. The characters in the songs are all at some kind of crossroads or transition (Ruby, Smokegun Jack Daydreams, Something Real, Havana).They are contemplating about making a life somewhere else, lighting out for new places and rectifying where home was for them (Time to Go, Everything Will Be Alright). I made up a few more numbers up about some of the people that I have gotten to know in and around my own home base of Westerly, RI (Bottom of the Bottle, Passing Through, Lonely Town). After a while, they felt like they belonged together on a record. They felt connected.

Downhauler debuted @ #20 on the Folk DJ Radio Chart, April 2011

2011 Nominee "Best Vocalist"-Motif Magazine, Rhode Island.
2010- Finalist-Sisters Folk Festival-Sisters, OR
2010- Honorable Mention-Rocky Mt Folks Fest-Lyons,CO
2010- Honorable Mention-Telluride Troubadour Contest,CO

"Stunning, sharply drawn Americana song portraits."-Motif Magazine.
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"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."-Roger Z-More Sugar Magazine.
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"Berardo sounds like a fishing town Bruce Springsteen."-Fairfield County Weekly.
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