Blog

So many blogs unblogged and so much songwriting done since I last blogged.

The news in brief:

PRS/PPL Meeting attended with the wonderful people of Folkestone and arranged by Blue Sky Pie Record Label 

Got UK Songwriting Contest 2019 “Semi-Finalist” Award for lyric category for “Rush of the Waterfall”

Songwriting collaboration with Emma Lauson Singer-Songwriter – her EP comes out Spring 2019 – watch this space 🙂

Attended The Songwriting Academy “Making it Happen” national conference where O met lots of awesome songwriters, artists and musicians. Congratulations to Martin Sutton and team on a fantastic event – well worth the visit.

Much songwriting and posting on my Facebook page over the months.

Attended The Songwriting Academy Songwriting Bootcamp in January. This was an amazing three days with some impressive songwriters and musicians and a truly educational and creative weekend. Lots of new songwriting friends made.

January/February 2019 – LOADS of collaborations going on right now. Lots of lyrics and toplines being done, a commission or two and lots lined up for this year. Its great fun collaborating and truly maximises the potential of everyone involved.

Thanks to Joseph Brown and his facebook page Collaboration Nation for the connections and work coming through.

Exciting times…

Check out my Facebook for more regular updates and new lyrics and music

If you want to write with me – contact me NOW!

Cheers!

Ann

In August I entered three songs – well one song “Gold” and two lyric only entries “You’re Not There” and “Rush of the Waterfall” into the UK Songwriting Contest.

A number of musicians suggested I put my lyrics forward and it’s another way to learn from feedback and meet more amazing people to collaborate with.

Earlier this month I got the message I’d been hoping for especially for this lyric which I’d had some great feedback on from other lyricists such as

Wonderfully imaginative. Lovely writing

Beautiful treatment of the theme of faith and love. Reminds me of leap of faith cliche but richer and more original.

Totally made up to find that “Rush of the Waterfall” has got to Semi Finals stage of this competition and the other two have been put forward for the second judging panel.

SEMI FINALIST

Rush of the Waterfall
Written By: Ann Kenney
Submission Date:
August 1, 2018 at 3:17 pm

This weekend I had the great privilege of working with a group of amazing musicians and songwriters at Bluescampuk 2018.

Working in a newly formed band “Dehydrated” made up of 5 guitarists, bass player and me and supported, directed and challenged by the amazing drummer, Sam Kelly.

Over the weekend we learned a couple of covers (with our own twist of course!) and had to create an original piece from initial lyrics from a “cut out” songwriting session from our fellow Bluescampers.

Sam was very patient with us teaching us all how to jam in an effective way so that all parts were discernible from each other whilst sounding cohesive and emotive overall.

Of course it helps that he was also our drummer keeping us all to time and challenging us to perfect the piece.

I’m a fan of Sam’s approach anyway having met him before at Bluescamp but also being a fan of Sam Kelly’s Station House and their fabulous recent album “No Barricades“. (Check it out if you haven’t already!)

It was a totally brilliant weekend and experience, being more of a vocalist/topliner this time than a lyricist but in the evening I got to do a couple of Ann Kenney Songs originals : Gold and Change It Up for the Open Mic session with Tommy Kenney on piano.

For our final performance we were joined by the awesome Bluescampuk tutors Tom Knight on bass and Chris Penfold on keys. We closed the weekend with our cover of Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening” with the ever epic Raging Horns brass section!

Special thanks also to David Hester, Elaine Purse, Tom Fuller, Peter Nash and Pete Turner of “Dehydrated!”

Thanks to everyone at BluescampUK 2018 who made this year such fun and getting me back into rhythm and blues and for helping me get my groove on!

Ann

I’ve been busy songwriting this month having joined a few songwriting groups where you can share your songs and other songwriters give critical feedback on theme, structure, hook etc. I’ve found this a really helpful and interesting exercise even trying a few of the challenges set, to stretch myself hoping to learn some secrets of successful songwriting, or tools of the trade.

I found that my own style is very instinctive. I collect inspiration all around, on a walk, people watching, overheard phrases or experiences. Something in the tiniest interactions or observations. Of course, sometimes I just know what I want to say and go for it. Once I know what I want to say, I just get going writing about it and then craft the song to have a structure I feel works. Sometimes I hear the melody as I write, sometimes I try a few on the piano till I like what I hear.

Last week I attended a meet up for songwriters where we were going to learn from Martin Sutton – a successful songwriter, record producer, mixer and songwriting coach. Martin founded the Songwriting Academy which provides courses for songwriters run by music professionals and mentoring programmes and conferences. Martin has an impressive record of successful songwriting across the decades and through his teaching has developed a great range of tools to support the songwriting community. As you would expect he’s a great storyteller – so his session was entertaining and inspiring!

Martin and his team of professional songwriters have produced a 77 step system to creating successful songs. You can get this from the website if you’ve a mind to but I think he had already given out some great advice already by that time.

“Write something you’re excited about! If it doesn’t move you, it won’t move anybody else.”

There was lots of great advice and tips but for me it was brilliant to learn The 6 Tools for Songwriting. These were priceless and worth the trip just to get these.

What are they?

1. Pen
2. Paper
3. Phone (recording device!)
4. Heart
5. Ears
6. Mind

To be honest a laptop can replace the first 3 but there is no replacement or shortcut for number 4.

Great songs have to move you. You know what moves you, will move others. If you are excited about the song, you know you are on the right track.

Or as I say you need to “feel it”!

I really enjoyed my day with Martin and his team and the other songwriters. Oh yes and the final secret to success – see it through the end!

Complete the song. Record it. Get it out there.

Great advice Martin! I’m on it!

Ann