Brett Dennen

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Brett Michael Dennen

Brett Dennen live in concert
Background information
Born (1979-10-28) October 28, 1979
Origin Oakdale, California, United States
Genres Folk
Occupations Musician, songwriter
Instruments Guitar
Years active 2004–present
Labels Downtown, Dualtone
Website www.brettdennen.net

Brett Michael Dennen[1] (born October 28, 1979[2][3][4][5]) is a folk/pop singer and songwriter from Northern California. Loverboy is his fourth studio album and was released in April 2011.

Biography

Brett Dennen attended Camp Jack Hazard, a residential summer camp, as a child and adolescent, and worked there as a counselor. He has continued to help the camp, performing at a fundraiser in February 2012 for the Jack and Buena Foundation, which now runs Camp Jack Hazard.[6] Brett's older sister and younger brother also attended the camp, and his mother served on the board of directors of the Jack and Buena Foundation, which now runs the Camp Jack Hazard.

Brett Dennen attended UC Santa Cruz from 2000–2004, where he was a student at Kresge College. He led numerous anti-smoking campaigns on campus, and was instrumental in removing ash trays from building entrances.

Dennen has been a part of The Mosaic Project, a San Francisco Bay Area-based nonprofit organization, since its inception. The Mosaic Project works towards a peaceful future by uniting young children of diverse backgrounds, providing them with essential skills to thrive in an increasingly diverse society, and empowering them to strive for peace.

Musical career

In 2004, Dennen released his self-titled first album, Brett Dennen. His second album, So Much More, includes the singles "Ain't No Reason", "She's Mine" and "Darlin' Do Not Fear". Dennen also contributed a cover of "Private Life" to the 2006 tribute album Drink To Bones That Turn To Dust: A Toast To Oingo Boingo.

In an interview with American Songwriter magazine, Dennen acknowledged Paul Simon's significant influence on his music as well as commenting that Paul Simon's "“Graceland is my all time favorite album.”[7]

Brett opened for John Mayer on his tour in 2008.

As The Mosaic Project's Resident Rock Star, Dennen created an original musical curriculum for the program, which they released as an album called Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World, in 2003. It won a Children's Music Web 2004 Award[8] and a Parent's Choice 2004 Approved Award.

Dennen was named by Rolling Stone magazine as an “Artist to Watch” and, in 2008, Entertainment Weekly called him one of its eight "Guys on the Rise".[9] He has attended festivals such as the Rothbury Music Festival in Michigan, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Lyons Folk Festival, and the Mile High Music Festival in Colorado.

In 2008, Dennen, along with Jason Mraz, contributed the song "Long Road to Forgiveness" to the Survival International charity album Songs for Survival. Earlier in the fall, Dennen toured Australia with Pete Murray. In late October, Hope for the Hopeless, Dennen's third album, was released on the Downtown/Dualtone partnership. The song "Ain't Gonna Lose You" was featured on Grey's Anatomy and topped the iTunes folk charts. The record reached number 6 in the digital charts, and was followed by a successful mini-tour.

Dennen at Newport Folk Festival 2009

On August 1, 2009, Dennen performed at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island.[10]

In 2010 Dennen played at the Oulipo Ballroom in Kentucky. He played a mixture of Paul Simon covers along with unreleased tracks from his upcoming album. His fourth album, Loverboy, was released on April 12, 2011. In 2009, Dennen's song "She's Mine" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie According to Greta; in 2010, Dennen's song "Darlin' Do Not Fear" was featured on the soundtrack for the TV show Parenthood.

It was announced on July 22, 2013 that Dennen's fifth album, Smoke and Mirrors, is to be released on October 22, 2013. This news was accompanied with the first single, "Wild Child".

On October 24 "Sweet Persuasion" was featured on the TV show Parenthood"

Discography
"Darlin' Do Not Fear" excerpt
From the album So Much More
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Singles

  • "Ain't No Reason" (2006)
  • "Make You Crazy" ft. Femi Kuti (2008)
  • "Heaven" ft. Natalie Merchant (2009)
  • "Sydney (I'll Come Running)" (2011)
  • "Comeback Kid (That's My Dog)" (2011)
  • "Wild Child" (2013)

Studio albums

Live albums and EPs

Other contributions

  • Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World (2003)
  • Drink to Bones That Turn to Dust: A Toast to Oingo Boingo (2006)
  • Don't Think Twice, It's Alright – Ted Lennon & Brett Dennen (2007)
  • CLIF GreenNotes Protect the Places We Play (2008) Find It Here
  • Songs for Survival (2008)
  • Parenthood (television soundtrack) (2010)
  • The Protector (TV series) [USA Network] (2011)
  • "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" for "Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International" (2012)

References

  1. ↑ "California Births, 1905 - 1995". Familytreelegends.com. 1979-10-28. Retrieved 2013-05-26. 
  2. ↑ Harris, Lauren (2007-03-03). "The User's Guide: Brett Dennen". VH1. Retrieved 2008-04-08. 
  3. ↑ "Brett Dennen – Free listening, concerts, stats, & pictures at". Last.fm. Retrieved 2013-09-08. 
  4. ↑ "Brett Dennen". Rhapsody. Retrieved 2013-09-08. 
  5. ↑ "Brett Dennen Biography". Starpulse.com. 1979-10-28. Retrieved 2013-09-08. 
  6. ↑ Brown, Patrick. "Bay Area nonprofit fights to keep camp alive". Bay Area News Group. Retrieved 11 September 2012. 
  7. ↑ Evan Schlansky (June 4, 2012). "Watch Brett Dennen Perform "Crazy Love, Vol. II" Off Paul Simon’s Graceland". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on 2012-06-05. Retrieved 5 June 2012. 
  8. ↑ "Announcing The Children's Music Web Awards 2004 Winners". Childrensmusic.org. Retrieved 2013-05-26. 
  9. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (May 21, 2008). "Guys on the Rise: 8 Emerging Singer-Songwriters". Entertainment Weekly. 
  10. ↑ "Brett Dennen: Newport Folk Festival 2009". Npr.org. Retrieved 2013-09-08. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brett Dennen.
Brett Dennen
Albums
EPs
Singles
So Much More
  • "Ain't No Reason"
  • "She's Mine"
  • "Darlin' Do Not Fear"
Hope for the Hopeless
  • "Make You Crazy"
Smoke and Mirrors
  • "Wild Child"
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