Nan Vernon
Encyclopedia
Nan Vernon is a Canadian singer and actress". She is notable for providing the end credit music of both of Rob Zombie's Halloween films and for being part of the "singer-songwriter
trend" of women nurturing folk music
's rebirth.
discovered Vernon. As she explains, "the story we used to tell was that I found Dave and Bob Dylan drunk and lost at a train station in Tijuana and that I gave them a ride home, but that wasn't how I met him. It was a call out of the blue from a friend of a friend who suggested that I might be someone Dave would like as a member of his band. Dave is the kind of person who encourages people." She subsequently "sang backup as one of his Spiritual Cowboys on Stewart's 1990 release....Vernon" parlayed "her high-profile acquaintance with Stewart into a record deal and released Manta Ray in 1994, through Stewart's Anxious Records."
's "Crystal Ship
" give insight into her appreciation for rock music's classic poet/lyricists."
More recently Vernon has provided covers of classic songs for the reboot of the Halloween
series of horror films. A new version of the song, "Mr. Sandman
", recorded by Nan Vernon, is featured in Rob Zombie's Halloween
. She also performs "Love Hurts
" for the film's sequel
.
and that era. I love Eastern European music, the music of the Twenties and Thirties, Cole Porter
. I love Elvis Presley
. I love lyrical storytelling....I love Tom Waits
and Billie Holiday
. Velvet Underground. Of the newer bands, I like Belly
and Bettie Serveert
. I guess my favorite songwriters are John Lennon
, Leonard Cohen
, Tom Waits".
. Her sister is Canadian-born film and television actress Kate Vernon
.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
trend" of women nurturing folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
's rebirth.
Early career
The Eurythmic's Dave StewartDavid A. Stewart
David Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
discovered Vernon. As she explains, "the story we used to tell was that I found Dave and Bob Dylan drunk and lost at a train station in Tijuana and that I gave them a ride home, but that wasn't how I met him. It was a call out of the blue from a friend of a friend who suggested that I might be someone Dave would like as a member of his band. Dave is the kind of person who encourages people." She subsequently "sang backup as one of his Spiritual Cowboys on Stewart's 1990 release....Vernon" parlayed "her high-profile acquaintance with Stewart into a record deal and released Manta Ray in 1994, through Stewart's Anxious Records."
Recordings and reception
Tom Demalon praises her debut album, lauding the singer for "her keen sense of melody, articulate writing, and pristine vocals" that "make it more memorable than many other such releases. 'Motorcycle' kicks things off with a percolating road tale driven by grinding guitar, but the most of the material is of a more introspective nature such as the dreamy 'Tattoo Tears,' 'No More Lullabies,' and the gorgeous afterlife ballad 'The Big Picture,' all delivered in a breathy fashion....Manta Ray is a better than average debut." John Koenig similarly describes her CD Manta Ray as "a collection of songs brimming with creative music and imagery." Koenig goes on to write that her "exquisite live reworkings of songs from the '60's, like John Lennon's "Nowhere Man" and Jim MorrisonJim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
's "Crystal Ship
Crystal Ship
"The Crystal Ship" is a song by The Doors from their 1967 debut album The Doors. It was also the B-Side of the number-one hit single, "Light My Fire." It is regarded as a love song to Jim Morrison's first love, Mary Werbelow....
" give insight into her appreciation for rock music's classic poet/lyricists."
More recently Vernon has provided covers of classic songs for the reboot of the Halloween
Halloween (franchise)
Halloween is an American horror franchise that consists of ten slasher films, novels, and comic books. The franchise focuses on the fictional character of Michael Myers who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his older sister, Judith Myers...
series of horror films. A new version of the song, "Mr. Sandman
Mr. Sandman
"Mr. Sandman" is a popular song written by Pat Ballard which was published in 1954 and first recorded in that year by The Chordettes. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr...
", recorded by Nan Vernon, is featured in Rob Zombie's Halloween
Halloween (2007 film)
Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a remake/reimagining of the 1978 horror film of the same name, the first in the rebooted Halloween film series and the ninth Halloween film in total. The film stars Tyler Mane as the adult Michael...
. She also performs "Love Hurts
Love Hurts
"Love Hurts" is the name of a song, written and composed by Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by The Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is also well known from a 1975 international hit version by the rock band Nazareth and in the UK by a top 5 hit in 1975 by Jim Capaldi.The song was introduced...
" for the film's sequel
Halloween II (2009 film)
Halloween II is a 2009 American horror film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a sequel to Zombie's 2007 remake of Halloween , and the second film in the rebooted Halloween film series and the tenth Halloween film in total...
.
Influences
In an interview, Vernon said, "I really like theatrical music, like BrechtBrecht
Brecht is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Brecht proper, Sint-Job-in't-Goor and Sint-Lenaarts. On January 1, 2006 Brecht had a total population of 26,464...
and that era. I love Eastern European music, the music of the Twenties and Thirties, Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
. I love Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. I love lyrical storytelling....I love Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
and Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
. Velvet Underground. Of the newer bands, I like Belly
Belly (band)
Belly was an alternative rock band formed in 1991 by former Throwing Muses members Tanya Donelly and Fred Abong. The band was based in Boston, Massachusetts, though all of the original members grew up in Newport, Rhode Island. The band consisted of Donelly on lead vocals and guitar, Abong on bass,...
and Bettie Serveert
Bettie Serveert
Bettie Serveert are a Dutch indie-rock band. Their name translates to "Bettie Serves", or "Service to Bettie", which is the title of a book written by Dutch tennis player Betty Stöve, who made it to the Wimbledon ladies singles final in 1977.-Genesis:...
. I guess my favorite songwriters are John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
, Tom Waits".
Personal life
Her father is Canadian actor John VernonJohn Vernon
John Keith Vernon was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada.-Early life:...
. Her sister is Canadian-born film and television actress Kate Vernon
Kate Vernon
Kate Vernon is a Canadian-born film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Lorraine Prescott on the CBS soap opera Falcon Crest from , the stuck-up and popular Benny Hanson in the comedy film Pretty in Pink , Mary-John Lovejoy in The Lost Colony Feature of Lovejoy and...
.
Solo discography
- "My Love" (1990)
- "No More Lullabyes" (1992)
- "While My Guitar Gently WeepsWhile My Guitar Gently Weeps"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a song by George Harrison, first recorded by The Beatles in 1968 for their eponymous double album...
" (1993) - "Motorcycle" (1994)
- Manta Ray (1994)
- "Elvis Waits" (1994)
Compilation and soundtrack appearances
- "Moon RiverMoon River"Moon River" is a song composed by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini in 1961, for whom it won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn, although it has been covered by many other artists...
" on Shots in the DarkShots in the DarkShots in the Dark is a Canadian documentary exploring vaccination procedures in the USA and several other countries. Through interviews with medical researchers and parents, the authors present their point of view on side effects of vaccination, and discuss its alleged association with increasing...
(1996) - "A New Shade of Blue" on Delphonic Sounds Today! (1999)
- "The Hangman's Song" on Dawn of the DeadDawn of the Dead (2004 film)Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder in his directorial debut. It is a remake of George A. Romero's 1978 film of the same name and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber. The film depict a handful of human survivors living in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin shopping mall...
promo-only score (2004) – with Tyler BatesTyler BatesTyler Bates is a music producer and composer for films. His most known work includes "The Hangman's Song" and various other tracks from the zombie horror film Dawn of the Dead, and 2008's Day of the Dead...
, 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...
, Rusty Logsdon and Soda - "Tiger and Dragon" on Re-enter the Dragon: A Black Belt Graffiti of the Grandmaster Dragon by His Li'l Dragons of Sound and Vision (2004)
- "Mr. SandmanMr. Sandman"Mr. Sandman" is a popular song written by Pat Ballard which was published in 1954 and first recorded in that year by The Chordettes. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr...
" on Rob Zombie's HalloweenHalloween (2007 film)Halloween is a 2007 American slasher film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a remake/reimagining of the 1978 horror film of the same name, the first in the rebooted Halloween film series and the ninth Halloween film in total. The film stars Tyler Mane as the adult Michael...
soundtrack (2007) - "Somebody Loves You" on Lumberjack Shirts Night: Dedicated to Mala Noche (2007) – by Floy Mae, her latest band
- "We'll Come Back for You" in The Devil's RejectsThe Devil's RejectsThe Devil's Rejects is a 2005 American horror film written and directed by Rob Zombie, and the sequel to his 2003 film House of 1000 Corpses. The film is about the family of psychopathic killers from the previous film now on the run...
(2005) - "Winter in Parodis" in Werewolf Women of the SS (2007)
- "(undetermined song) in The Day the Earth Stood StillThe Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 film)The Day the Earth Stood Still is a 2008 science fiction film, a remake of the 1951 film of the same name. The screenplay is based on the 1940 classic science fiction short story "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates, and the 1951 screenplay adaptation by Edmund H...
(2008) - "Love HurtsLove Hurts"Love Hurts" is the name of a song, written and composed by Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by The Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is also well known from a 1975 international hit version by the rock band Nazareth and in the UK by a top 5 hit in 1975 by Jim Capaldi.The song was introduced...
" on Rob Zombie's Halloween IIHalloween II (2009 film)Halloween II is a 2009 American horror film written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. The film is a sequel to Zombie's 2007 remake of Halloween , and the second film in the rebooted Halloween film series and the tenth Halloween film in total...
soundtrack (2009)