For Philadelphia native Nancy Micciulla, music has always been a way of life. Her father, a talented pianist, would play her to sleep at night, and by the time he began teaching her at the age of six, music was already rooted deeply inside her -- it had no choice but to stick around. Determined to be a true musician, Nancy tried her hand at classical piano, clarinet and even trumpet. But none of these seemed to suit her. All the while, she was discovering and developing her voice, and searching for some way to use it. She was also developing a taste for a wide variety of music, but especially for female singer- songwriters, with their simple arrangements and poetic story telling. At the age of 18, Nancy turned that appreciation into a personal goal. She entered college as a musical theatre major, but had her brand new guitar in tow. Her roommate encouraged her to enter a battle of the bands, and after only six months of playing, Nancy won with her first two original songs. “I think that’s when I knew I belonged on the stage – not as a character using someone else’s words, or as a musician playing someone else’s songs – but as myself.” With the help of a friend, Nancy recorded two demo tapes, one of which has been sent to fans as far as Singapore and Australia. She has played in venues across Pennsylvania, and shared the stage with such acts as the Darcie Miner Band, Gigolo Aunts, and Fastball. Nancy now resides in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where she has developed a solid local fan base. She recently recorded a third demo – a stripped down, raw arrangement of just vocals and guitars. “This is how most people know me – just me and a guitar. I didn’t want to change that.” Nancy’s style can be described much the same way – raw and stripped down. Nothing extra. But there’s an emotional force behind her voice that can do the work of an entire ensemble of musicians, and her songs have the ability to both lift spirits and break hearts. She steps onto the stage, tells her own stories, and gives nothing less than we’d expect – herself.