Brett Dennen
Encyclopedia
Brett Dennen is a folk/pop singer and songwriter from Northern California.
In 2004, Dennen released his self-titled first album, Brett Dennen. His second album, So Much More
, including 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
. Dennen's music has been featured in several television shows, including Roadtrip Nation
on PBS, Grey's Anatomy
, the House
episode "Family", The Unit
episode "Freefall", and the Scrubs
episode "My No Good Reason". He also appeared shoeless on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 8, 2008, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
on February 9, 2009, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
on April 21, 2009, The Late Show with David Letterman
on October 9, 2009, and was the back-up guest on Last Call with Carson Daly
on December 22, 2009. In addition to television series, Dennen has also sold to national advertising campaigns for companies such as Hilton Hotels
. His single- "Heaven" has also been used in the iPod/iPhone app TapTap Revenge. On June 1, 2011 Dennen's single, "Sydney (I'll Come Running)," was used in a promotional video for the new search and photo service from Twitter
.
Brett has supported tours with artists such as Jack Johnson
, John Mayer
, Jason Mraz
, Dave Matthews
and O.A.R.
.
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. 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 http://www.childrensmusic.org/a2004winners.html 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". 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.
Dennen is working on getting signed to Downtown Records
through a partnership with Dualtone.
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.
In January 2009, Dennen embarked on a 3-month vacation across the US, with friends Erin McCarley
and Angus & Julia Stone
. Dennen also announced plans to backpack through the UK
and Europe
, including a visit to the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen in London on the 7th May. In 2009, Brett's song "Ain't Going to Lose You" was also used in the closing sequence of an Ugly Betty episode. Brett also played a major songwriting role in the July 14th solo debut release of the Crosby Loggins
album "Time To Move", which also features John Mayer
.
On August 1, 2009, Dennen attended the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. On the Waterside Stage he performed the following songs to a small crowd: "When You Feel It," "Who Do You Think," "Wrong About Me," "Ain't No Reason," "Darlin' Do Not Fear,'" "Heaven," "I Ain't Gonna Lose You," and "She's Mine."
His fourth album, Loverboy, was released on April 12, 2011.
In September of 2011, Dennen started using the question/answer site Formspring in order to get closer to his fans, and communicates with his fans frequently
Studio albums
Live albums and EPs
Other contributions
Biography
Brett Dennen attended UC Santa Cruz from 2000–2004, where he was a student at Kresge College.In 2004, Dennen released his self-titled first album, Brett Dennen. His second album, So Much More
So Much More (album)
So Much More is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Brett Dennen, and was released by Downtown Records, with distribution held by Dualtone Records...
, including 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
Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo was an American new wave band. They are best known for their influence on other musicians, their soundtrack contributions and their high energy Halloween concerts. The band was founded in 1972 as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a performance art group...
. Dennen's music has been featured in several television shows, including Roadtrip Nation
Roadtrip Nation
Roadtrip Nation began in 2001 as an idea Mike , Nathan, Brian and Amanda, four friends fresh out of college, formed when they were not sure what to do with their lives...
on PBS, Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, the House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
episode "Family", The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
episode "Freefall", and the Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
episode "My No Good Reason". He also appeared shoeless on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 8, 2008, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
on February 9, 2009, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
on April 21, 2009, The Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on October 9, 2009, and was the back-up guest on Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
on December 22, 2009. In addition to television series, Dennen has also sold to national advertising campaigns for companies such as Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
. His single- "Heaven" has also been used in the iPod/iPhone app TapTap Revenge. On June 1, 2011 Dennen's single, "Sydney (I'll Come Running)," was used in a promotional video for the new search and photo service from Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
Brett has supported tours with artists such as Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson may refer to :*Jack Johnson , one of Wyatt Earp's possemen during his "vendetta ride"*Jack Johnson , first African-American heavyweight boxing world champion...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
, Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews
David John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
and O.A.R.
O.A.R.
O.A.R. is an American rock band composed of Marc Roberge , Chris Culos , Richard On , Benj Gershman , and Jerry DePizzo...
.
Dennen has been a part of The Mosaic Project
The Mosaic Project
The Mosaic Project is an 501 nonprofit organization that has been teaching peace and understanding to children in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2001.- Curriculum :...
, 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. 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
Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World (album)
Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World is the album released by the non-profit organization called The Mosaic Project. The organization is famous for having one of its co-directors as Brett Dennen, the rising folk-musician who wrote and performed the majority of the songs on the album.-Track...
, in 2003. It won a Children's Music Web 2004 Award http://www.childrensmusic.org/a2004winners.html and a Parent's Choice 2004 Approved Award.
Dennen was named by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine as an “Artist to Watch” and, in 2008, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
called him one of its eight "Guys on the Rise". He has attended festivals such as the Rothbury Music Festival in Michigan, Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Telluride Bluegrass Festival is held annually in Telluride, Colorado by . Although traditionally the festival focuses on bluegrass music, it often features music from a variety of genres. In 1974, its first year, it attracted 1000 participants. Currently the festival's attendance is capped at 10,000...
, Lyons Folk Festival, and the Mile High Music Festival in Colorado.
Dennen is working on getting signed to Downtown Records
Downtown Records
Downtown Records is a record label owned and operated by Downtown Music LLC. Music on the Downtown label is distributed by Universal Music's Fontana Distribution and, for certain releases, as a joint venture with Atlantic Records and also for select releases, by Alternative Distribution Alliance...
through a partnership with Dualtone.
In 2008, Dennen, along with Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
, contributed the song "Long Road to Forgiveness" to the Survival International
Survival International
Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969 that campaigns for the rights of indigenous tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples, seeking to help them to determine their own future. Their campaigns generally focus on tribal peoples' fight to keep their ancestral lands,...
charity album Songs for Survival
Songs for Survival
Bruce Parry Presents Amazon - Tribe - Songs for Survival is a double album released by Kensaltown Records in support of a tribal peoples charity.-Background:...
. Earlier in the fall, Dennen toured Australia with Pete Murray. In late October, Hope for the Hopeless
Hope for the Hopeless (album)
Hope for the Hopeless is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Brett Dennen. It was released on October 21, 2008 by Dualtone Music Group and Downtown Records, following Dennen's tour of Australia. Afro-Beat Nigerian musician Femi Kuti appears on the album's first single, "Make...
, Dennen's third album, was released on the Downtown/Dualtone partnership. The song "Ain't Gonna Lose You" was featured on Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
and topped the iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
folk charts. The record reached number 6 in the digital charts, and was followed by a successful mini-tour.
In January 2009, Dennen embarked on a 3-month vacation across the US, with friends Erin McCarley
Erin McCarley
Erin McCarley is an alternative music singer-songwriter. McCarley attended college at Baylor University, and is now based in Nashville, Tennessee. She has been compared to Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor, and Sheryl Crow. Currently, Erin is working on her follow up to 2009's Love, Save the Empty...
and Angus & Julia Stone
Angus & Julia Stone
Angus & Julia Stone are an Australian brother-sister duo from Newport on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Forming in 2005, their parents are both musical and played as a folk duo before Angus and Julia were born. At very young ages, their father introduced them to music and encouraged them to join...
. Dennen also announced plans to backpack through the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, including a visit to the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen in London on the 7th May. In 2009, Brett's song "Ain't Going to Lose You" was also used in the closing sequence of an Ugly Betty episode. Brett also played a major songwriting role in the July 14th solo debut release of the Crosby Loggins
Crosby Loggins
Crosby Loggins is an American singer/songwriter. He is the oldest son of Grammy winning soundtrack legend Kenny Loggins and his first wife, Eva Ein. Crosby Loggins is also the winner of MTV's Rock The Cradle.-Early life:...
album "Time To Move", which also features John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
.
On August 1, 2009, Dennen attended the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. On the Waterside Stage he performed the following songs to a small crowd: "When You Feel It," "Who Do You Think," "Wrong About Me," "Ain't No Reason," "Darlin' Do Not Fear,'" "Heaven," "I Ain't Gonna Lose You," and "She's Mine."
His fourth album, Loverboy, was released on April 12, 2011.
In September of 2011, Dennen started using the question/answer site Formspring in order to get closer to his fans, and communicates with his fans frequently
Discography
Singles- "Ain't No Reason" (2006)
- "Make You Crazy" ft. Femi KutiFemi KutiOlufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....
(2008) - "Heaven" ft. Natalie MerchantNatalie MerchantNatalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
(2009) - "Sydney (I'll Come Running)" (2011)
- "Comeback Kid (That's My Dog)" (2011)
Studio albums
- Brett Dennen (2004)
- So Much MoreSo Much More (album)So Much More is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Brett Dennen, and was released by Downtown Records, with distribution held by Dualtone Records...
(2006) - Hope for the HopelessHope for the Hopeless (album)Hope for the Hopeless is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Brett Dennen. It was released on October 21, 2008 by Dualtone Music Group and Downtown Records, following Dennen's tour of Australia. Afro-Beat Nigerian musician Femi Kuti appears on the album's first single, "Make...
(2008) - LoverboyLoverboy (Brett Dennen album)Loverboy is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Brett Dennen. It was released on April 12, 2011 through Downtown Records.-Track listing:...
(2011)
Live albums and EPs
- Peace EP (2006)
- (More) So Much More(More) So Much MoreSo Much More is a live EP released by Brett Dennen following the release of his second studio album So Much More. The EP was released by Downtown Records with Dualtone Records distributing the album. It features several prominent songs from the previous album as well as a Bob Marley cover.-Track...
(2007) - Live Sessions EP (iTunes exclusive) (2009)
Other contributions
- Children's Songs for Peace and a Better WorldChildren's Songs for Peace and a Better World (album)Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World is the album released by the non-profit organization called The Mosaic Project. The organization is famous for having one of its co-directors as Brett Dennen, the rising folk-musician who wrote and performed the majority of the songs on the album.-Track...
(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 SurvivalSongs for SurvivalBruce Parry Presents Amazon - Tribe - Songs for Survival is a double album released by Kensaltown Records in support of a tribal peoples charity.-Background:...
(2008) - Parenthood (television soundtrack)Parenthood (television soundtrack)Parenthood was released by Arrival Records/Scion Music Group in 2010. It consists of music featured in the first season of the NBC television series Parenthood.-Overview:...
(2010) - The Protector (TV series) [USA Network] (2011)