INSITE BOSTON MAGAZINE

Dan Cloutier - Good Artist Getting Great

"As the host of a TV and radio shows focused on Boston music, I get plenty of CDs without even sending in a penny.  I appreciate everyone who takes a shot at being on the shows, but I’d be lying if I said most of their CDs didn’t end up stuffed in stockings last month rather than on my play list.  I almost overlooked a great discovery.  Dan Cloutier wrote songs in relative obscurity for almost ten years.  In that time he developed a core group of fans and friends that all but insisted I have him on my radio show.  I did
so a year ago and thought him a decent amateur singer songwriter.  Then, out of nowhere we connected a year later and I had him back on the show for a second listen.

Cloutier spent much of that year leading a music class at the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center, in Hopkinton MA.  After a year of performing in front of his adult students with developmental differences and hitting Boston with an “any show, anytime” attitude, he improved dramatically.   He ended 2004 opening up for none other than folk superstar Vance Gilbert.  Lots of people claim that they are musicians or that they care for the disabled.  For the most part, they do so to aggrandize themselves.  Cloutier puts his money where his mouth is, succeeding in these two challenging arenas.  On and off stage one can be proud to be a fan of Dan and look forward to another great year from this rising star. "

CLUB PASSIM

Tonight’s Feature: Dan Cloutier (http://www.dancloutiermusic.com)

A fresh face, Cloutier writed ragged, wry, uptempo urban anthems about fragmented, confusing relationships.