Gwendolyn (artist)
Encyclopedia
Gwendolyn Sanford is a singer-songwriter
who was born in Philadelphia and raised in Sierra Madre
, California
. Her work, and the appreciation of it, reflects the continuing popularity of independent recording artists who eschew the pursuit of commercial success associated with major record labels in favor of local and internet
-based distribution of their music. Gwendolyn's musical influences include Syd Barrett
, Nick Drake
, Incredible String Band
, The Moore Brothers, Dolly Parton
, and Bob Dylan
. LA Weekly has described her live performances to be "like a Renaissance Fair being held on Mars."
In addition to her solo works, Gwendolyn has recorded three albums of children's music
as "Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang".
And a live concert DVD
The "Good Time Gang" performs for children's events, mainly in California
.
Musicians Gwendolyn has worked with include:
. At least two different versions of Gwendolyn's song "Freedom of the Heart (Ooodily, Ooodily)" are prominently featured in Mike White's 2000 film Chuck & Buck
.
Music Awards as the Best New Genre/Uncategorizable Artist. In 2007 she received an award BMI
for her work on the TV show Weeds
. Gwendolyn won KFPK radio's The Music Never Stops #1 Album of the Year" award for Dew and Amoeba Music
named Gwendolyn as their "Homegrown Artist Pick".
, Gwendolyn appeared in the television series Sherman Oaks, playing "Peace" in Episode 2.17: "The Shot Heard Round the Valley", aired on November 24, 1996.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
who was born in Philadelphia and raised in Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre, California
The city of Sierra Madre is a municipality in Los Angeles County, California whose population was 10,917 at the 2010 census, up from 10,580 at the time of the 2000 census. The city is located in the Foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains below the southern edge of the Angeles National Forest. ...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Her work, and the appreciation of it, reflects the continuing popularity of independent recording artists who eschew the pursuit of commercial success associated with major record labels in favor of local and internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
-based distribution of their music. Gwendolyn's musical influences include Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
, Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
, Incredible String Band
Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band were a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1966. The band built a considerable following, especially within British counterculture, before splitting up in 1974...
, The Moore Brothers, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
. LA Weekly has described her live performances to be "like a Renaissance Fair being held on Mars."
In addition to her solo works, Gwendolyn has recorded three albums of children's music
Children's music
Children's music is used here to refer to music composed and performed for children by adults. In European influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has historically held both entertainment...
as "Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang".
Solo
To date, Gwendolyn has recorded four solo albums- Ultrasounds (2000)
- Dew (2003)
- Lower Mill Road (2007)
- Bright Light (2011)
Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang
Gwendolyn has released four children's albums as "Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang":- Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang (2003)
- Tis The Season To Be Rockin (2004)
- Get Up And Dance! (2007)
- "Clap Your Hands" (2010)
And a live concert DVD
- Live In Grandma's Living Room! (2005)
The "Good Time Gang" performs for children's events, mainly in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Affiliates
Musicians in Gwendolyn's live band include:- Douglas Lee (glass harmonicaGlass harmonicaThe glass harmonica, also known as the glass armonica, bowl organ, hydrocrystalophone, or simply the armonica , is a type of musical instrument that uses a series of glass bowls or goblets graduated in size to produce musical tones by means of friction The glass harmonica, also known as the glass...
) - Brandon Jay (found percussion)
- Robert Petersen (upright bass)
Musicians Gwendolyn has worked with include:
- Smokey Hormel
- Ralph CarneyRalph CarneyRalph Carney is an American musician. While his primary instruments are various saxophones and clarinets, Carney collects and plays many instruments, often unusual or obscure ones....
- Joey WaronkerJoey WaronkerJoseph "Joey" Waronker is an American drummer and music producer. He is the son of record producer Lenny Waronker and singer/actress Donna Loren; his younger sister is musician Anna Waronker; and his grandfather is record executive and professional violinist Simon Waronker. He has three other...
- Don FlemingDon Fleming (musician)Don Fleming is an American musician, best known for being the frontman of Velvet Monkeys, B.A.L.L., and Gumball.-Biography:...
- Ben VaughnBen VaughnBen Vaughn is an American musician, music producer and a longtime Rambler enthusiast.Vaughn grew up in Collingswood, New Jersey, and his interest in music began at age 6 when his uncle gave him a Duane Eddy record. The "Ben Vaughn Combo" released two albums and toured the U.S. from 1983 to 1988...
- John McCuskerJohn McCuskerJohn McCusker is a Scottish folk musician, record producer and composer. An accomplished fiddle player, he had a long association as a member of the Battlefield Band beginning in the 1990s and was later a band member and producer for folk singer Kate Rusby...
Film and television work
As of the second season, Gwendolyn and partner Brandon Jay compose the score for WeedsWeeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
. At least two different versions of Gwendolyn's song "Freedom of the Heart (Ooodily, Ooodily)" are prominently featured in Mike White's 2000 film Chuck & Buck
Chuck & Buck
Chuck & Buck is a 2000 comedy-drama film written by and starring Mike White, and directed by Miguel Arteta. The title is a reference to the nickname that poet Charles Bukowski was known as in literary circles—Chuck Buk.-Plot:...
.
Awards
In 2003 Gwendolyn was recognized at LA WeeklyLA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
Music Awards as the Best New Genre/Uncategorizable Artist. In 2007 she received an award BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
for her work on the TV show Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
. Gwendolyn won KFPK radio's The Music Never Stops #1 Album of the Year" award for Dew and Amoeba Music
Amoeba Music
Amoeba Music is an independent music chain with stores in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Founded by former employees of nearby Rasputin Records, it opened on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley in 1990. The stores are unusually large given their independent status...
named Gwendolyn as their "Homegrown Artist Pick".
Acting career
According to the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
, Gwendolyn appeared in the television series Sherman Oaks, playing "Peace" in Episode 2.17: "The Shot Heard Round the Valley", aired on November 24, 1996.