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Drew Kennedy

New Braunfels, Texas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | INDIE

New Braunfels, Texas, United States | INDIE

Established on Jan, 2014

Solo Americana Folk

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Press

"Craig Bonnell"

On “The Captain and The Highway” Drew sings in a deep resonant voice accompanied primarily by acoustic guitar. This along with the world weary nature of the song, the lonely and sad imagery, and the foreboding cello (?) combine to produce a beautiful song that is a standout on an album full of standouts. - songs:illinois

"Craig Bonnell"

"No Depression"

This realistic fictional travelogue offers some answers to any music fan who has ever asked after an enjoyable concert: “What does this guy do the other 22 hours of the day?” Drew’s a talented songwriter and novelist who almost bares Dan’s (or is it Drew’s) soul in this multimedia project any music fan will enjoy. - Hal Bogred

"No Depression"

"Texas Music Scene"

Fresh Water In The Salton Sea comes in at #5 on Texas Music Scene’s 30 Albums Of The Year: The fact that he co-released it with an original novel of the same name highlights the ambition the still-young veteran of the Texas songwriter scene brought to this project, but (as with any of his recent albums) these songs really speak for themselves. Kennedy’s emotional honesty continues to serve him well, but it’s his knack for detail and a touch of wry wit that allows him to hit up those old themes of heartache, travel, and regret for one more dance with his distinctive baritone drawl. - Mike Messick

"Texas Music Scene"

"Lone Star Music Magazine"

“I love hearing songs that are intelligent, thought provoking, and honest,” offers Drew Kennedy in his self-penned bio on his website. He writes songs to match, too, reliably turning out albums like Wide Listener (his sixth) that demand and reward acute attention to every word. This is very much a sit back (or lay down) and listen kind of record, impeccably played and sung (both by Kennedy, a dead ringer at times for Bruce Robison, and harmony helpers Kelley Mickwee and Brandy Zdan) and filled with languid melodies more comfortable than outright catchy. Still, pretty much every track here is a sleeping beauty akin to the patient desert succulent that inspired the exquisite “Rose of Jericho” (one of two songs Kennedy co-wrote with Lori McKenna). And when Kennedy does pick up the tempo a bit, as on the opening “Age of Color” and “Love on the Highway,” the effect is genuinely refreshing. The biggest surprise of all, though, comes with “Jesus Can See You,” coiled like a snake at the heart of the record and striking with an out-of-nowhere guitar solo as loaded with bitter venom as the song’s gotcha lyric: “Jesus can see you/breaking my heart.” It’s a jarring (but not unwelcome) twist in the middle of an otherwise gently measured and deeply reflective record, but like every other song on Wide Listener, it rings honest and true of heart.
— RICHARD SKANSE - Richard Skanse

"Lone Star Music Magazine"

The 10 songs on Fresh Water all riff in one way or another off the novel’s central “what’s it all about, anyway, and am I really doing the right thing with my life?” theme (“I can’t see the sunshine for the rays,” he frets on the gospel-tinged opener); but there’s no concept-album storyline to keep up with or get in the way of the music. Kennedy’s voice and melodies are exceedingly easy on the ears, strongly reminiscent of ’70s singer-songwriter fare (more Nilsson, Schmillson or Sweet Baby James than Waylon and Willie), but the wistful “Vapor Trails” goes down like prime Whiskeytown, and “I’ve Got Some Leaving to Do” blurs the line between country weeper and 2 a.m. blues. The toe-tapping “We’ve All Got Our Marks to Make” serves as the album’s rousing centerpiece, and also hints at why Kennedy probably felt compelled to explore long-form fiction in the first place; he stuffs so many words in the verses, he can barely keep up with himself. But he pulls it off with a devil-may-care verve. “Line by line and age to age,” he sings in the chorus, “we’ve all got our marks to make.” And with Fresh Water in the Salton Sea, he’s made a fine one — with an entire book’s worth of words to spare. - Richard Skanse

Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

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Bio

I write songs for a living, and have been doing so since 2004.

I have three favorite guitars, one being a 1964 Gibson Country and Western, which (with the help of a fine luthier) I was able to return to a playable condition after finding it in a state of total disrepair. I love the way it sounds, and I think it likes having me around as well. My second guitar is a 2002 Morgan Rosewood Dreadnaught that found me before I could find it. I ended up writing and recording most of 2011s Fresh Water In The Salton Sea with her. It was providence, or it was good luck. I personally think theyre both the same thing. My third guitar is a 2004 Gibson J45, which held a starring role in the movie Infamous. Unfortunately, Infamous lost the Hollywood Truman Capote Sweepstakes, and Capote beat it out of the gate. Infamous saw limited release and went to DVD pretty quickly. That being said, the guitar is probably still more famous than I am, even in all of its DVD glory. If The Smoking Gun ever publishes an extravagant concert rider with my name on it, rest assured that the requests for seedless watermelon slices and Caciocavallo cheese came from the guitar, and not from me.

I love music. I love hearing songs that are intelligent, thought provoking, and honest. They give me hope, and those who wrote them inspire me.

I recently finished recording my fifth album and writing my first novel, each of which I released in November of 2011. I decided to call them both Fresh Water In The Salton Sea. I think its a clever title, but I am often wrong about these types of things. The music on the album and the words in the book both mean a great deal to me.

I live in New Braunfels, Texas with my wife, three dogs, a cat, and a generous school of fish that I try not to forget to feed when my wife assigns me the task (the fish, that is the dogs let me know if Im forgetting about them in their unmistakable way). We like it here.

I travel a lot for my job. Theres not much of a point in writing songs if you dont share them with an audience. Besides, the dogs cant clap, I cant hear the fish, and the cat generally doesnt care about what I do and everyone needs a little positive affirmation in their lives from time to time. So, I hope to see you at a show.

If youd ever like to say hello, you can reach me via email (info at drewkennedymusic.com), smoke signal, telegraph, or carrier pigeon. Whichever is easiest for you.

Albums and Songwriting Credits

//Albums

Wide Listener (2013)

Fresh Water In The Salton Sea (2011)

Alone, But Not Lonely (2010)

An Audio Guide To Cross Country Travel (2009)

Dollar Theatre Movie (2007)

Hillbilly Pilgrim (2004)

//Credits

Better Day // Bart Crow // Dandelion (2012)

Man On A Mountain // Patty Loveless and Jason Eady // AM Country Heaven (2012)

War With Myself // Josh Grider // Live at Billy Bobs (2012)