San Diego Reader

Kory McAfee: Bass guitar | Josh Damigo: Guitar (acoustic), Piano, Vocals | Brandon Walters: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Josh Hermsmeir: Drums

Genre: Acoustic, Rock

RIYL: Jason Mraz, Lifehouse, John Mayer, Elliott Smith

Upcoming Local Shows

• Art Around Adams booth — Saturday, June 2, 2pm – 10pm

Song Downloads

• Sugar (Live on Rock 105.3)

Discography

Related Links:

• Jam Session: "Josh Damigo Going to Prison" · July 9, 2011

• Concert Review: "Damigo Lovers" · Dec. 26, 2010

• As I Hear It · Dec. 2, 2009

• Blurt: "Episode I: The Combs Wars" · Oct. 28, 2009

• As I Hear It · May 28, 2009

• April 2009's Most Downloaded: "Sugar" · May 6, 2009

• Musician Interviews: "I Want to Be in a Boy Band" · Sept. 17, 2008

• Blurt: "Comics and Musicians Don't Get Along" · Nov. 15, 2007

• Blurt: "Joe Who?" · Sept. 7, 2006

• Music page

• MySpace page

Synoposis

Influences: Lifehouse, Switchfoot, Jim Croce, AJ Croce, Goo Goo Dolls, Gavin and Joey DeGraw, the Spin Doctors, Berkley Heart, Daughtry, Paul Wright, Hinder, Third Eye Blind, Jason Mraz, Greg Laswell, Yo Mama, Andyo Daddy, Sean Kingston

Background:

“Lestat’s is my favorite spot to hang out and perform,” says singer-songwriter Josh Damigo. “I’m pretty much there every night. I’m a huge fan of acoustic music, and the soundman Louie Brazier and I just sit back and talk about life and music and catch up on the latest celebrity gossip. I love ordering their Snickers latte, which has hazelnut, chocolate, and caramel.”

Damigo grew up in San Jose, where his musical career began when his mother signed him up for piano lessons at the age of 6. “I absolutely hated piano because my teacher kept giving me classical pieces,” Damigo says on his MySpace page. “I quit [piano] when I was in sixth grade…at 16 I taught myself to play guitar. Two weeks after that I had my first show. I was playing at churches. I was mostly singing [because] I was a much better singer than a guitar player.”

Damigo's push toward a full-time music career came after a celebrity endorsement - of sorts. “I played at Stateside in Santa Barbara, and an older man came up to me after the show and said, ‘Young man, don’t you ever stop playing, you’ve got something special,’ and he walked away. My friend came up to me and asked how I knew Kenny Loggins. I honestly couldn’t remember who Kenny was. When I got home, I freaked out when I realized he’s the guy who wrote and performed the music in Top Gun.”

Damigo has received several San Diego H.A.T. Awards, including Best Male Performer, Best New Artist, Best Male Singer Songwriter, and Best Male Vocalist. He was also named one of San Diego's Up and Coming Artists by San Diego Troubadour magazine, and he won a 2010 San Diego Music Award for Best Acoustic.

Songs from his CD Pocket Change: the Acoustic EP, have been played on Rock 105.3 and KPRI FM, and he's performed on TV station KUSI.

In 2010, his brother was among the subjects in the HBO series Wartorn, about soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“I took a job in L.A. and will be living there,” reported Damiago in late 2010. “Here’s to big things and following dreams!” He recorded a live album at Lestat’s on March 12, 2011, with his L.A.-based band.

By 2012, Damigo moved back to San Diego, after spending around a year in L.A.