amanda penecale

Inspired by storm clouds, gardening, and the mother church of country music, Amanda Penecale ties the growing pains of modern consciousness to the simple joys of life with her songs built on stories earned through experience.

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She grew up writing and performing with her cousin in high school, and after studying Painting and Photography at the Rhode Island School of Design she found her way back to songwriting. Her first solo gigs were in the Philadelphia area at venues such as the Tin Angel, the Hard Rock Cafe, and World Cafe Live. She skipped open mics, bought a Martin, and became a local opener for touring acts. This early success encouraged her to make an EP with friends in 2009. Middle Ground was selected for airplay on WXPN and Penecale began to study the craft of writing more seriously. Her appreciation for Gillian Welch, Patty Griffin, and Kate Wolf helped her to find her sound somewhere between poetry, twang, and the truth. 

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Following in the footsteps of many notable musicians she moved to Nashville where she learned to co-write and appreciate the intricacies of the writing and recording process. She attended classes at the Station Inn, connected with the NSAI and Sound Exchange, and formed a band called The Lost Sleep. The band of close friends including Carlin Mayes, Meghan Perdue, and Dan Kozlowski rehearsed after hours and released a crowd-funded EP called Fools Gold. She attended the open mics at the Bluebird Cafe, played writer's rounds at Bobby's Idle Hour and the Commodore Grill, and jumped on stage at dive bars around town. ABC was filming their drama Nashville, and she even had a chance to work as a background actor on the show. 

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The pull of family and the desire to feel more grounded brought Amanda back to her home in Bucks County, Pa in the fall of 2018. She connected once again with fellow songwriters and became an active member of the Philadelphia Song Circle. Recently she shared bills with Avi Wisnia, Anne Hills, Big Valley Bluegrass, and had a solo set at Bethlehem Musikfest 2021. 

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Amanda has twice earned recognition for her writing as a finalist for the Philadelphia Songwriters Project songwriting contest and her holiday song Left Alone with You, co-written with Craig Lackey, was a finalist in the 4th Annual Christmas Songwriting Competition by the USA Songwriting Competition. She lives between Ottsville PA and Ocean Grove, NJ where she gardens, teaches art and enjoys spending time with her dog and family.

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Quotes:

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"Penecale sings her original songs in a crystal clear voice that lacks the shyness that is often found in a lot of singer/songwriters. Enjoyable music no matter what your preferred genre.”

-The indie Music Review

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[Time and Tide] is kind of in the brand of Natalie Merchant with darker, more brooding overtones, a la Sarah McLaughlin. -NineBullets.net

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“”There are few people who can tell stories in song, yet newcomer Amanda Penecale is one of them. Her words and music echo a sweet and sad sentiment of memories, emotions and reflections.”" -Lindsey Borders, Guitar Girl Magazine”