Daniel Cartier

Daniel Cartier emerged in the '90s as a serious up-and-coming singer/songwriter with guts and an ability to impress fans and musicians alike with his passionate performances and sincere songwriting. While receiving plenty of critical and celebrity support, Cartier failed to generate sales after a considerable buzz landed him a major-label record deal, and the singer parted ways with A&M's Rocket imprint after only one release. Cartier's music is sometimes tender, sometimes frantic, and usually supported nicely by his acoustic guitar playing, causing frequent comparisons to Jeff Buckley, Ani DiFranco, and other singer/songwriters of his day. An emotional performer, Cartier lacked the musical and vocal dexterity of masters like Buckley, but the New England native tried mightily to override these shortcomings with his courage and work ethic. That probably isn't going to be enough for Cartier to be remembered as an important artist, yet there's something romantic about his dogged pursuit of an audience and strong sense of style. His heavily cultivated, urban rebel image was punctuated by a tattoo-covered skull -- perhaps an attempt to out-ink the music world's most egregiously tattooed folkster DiFranco. Cartier was born June 25, 1969, and grew up in Exeter, NH, where he developed a deep love of music as a child while listening to '70s and '80s artists like Patti Smith, Blondie, and the Cars. He learned to play keyboards, started his first band at the age of 11, and remained focused on performing and writing music from that time forward. In 1991, Cartier moved to New York and played his first Gotham performances in subway stations around the city's lower east side. It didn't take long for word to spread to club owners and soon he was a regular at all the folk and rock A&R...