The Kennedys
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>From Lubbock to London, and from Dublin to Taos, the Kennedys have travelled the road of modern day troubadours, but theirs is not a music of airports and hotels, of truckstops and highways. They spend their time off the road in a focused effort to musically evolve--writing and producing in their own studio, reading and seeking out new music. In fact, their sound could be defined as one aimed at adults (of all ages) who still love to read books and discover new sounds. The duo have even gone a step further and applied a name to their own subgenre--"coffeehouse pop"--modern acoustic music with the witty, informed edge that the Beatles and the Byrds brought to radio way back when.
The duo's efforts have not gone unnoticed. Their first CD, River of Fallen Stars, won the National Association of Independent Record Distributors (NAIRD) indie award for best contemporary adult album of 1995 and their second, Life Is Large, was nominated for the same honor in 1996. Back home in Virginia, they proudly display over 30 Washington Area Music Awards, including Artist of the Year. They have become favorites on adult radio, appearing on popular syndicated radio programs including Mountain Stage, World Cafe, and Acoustic Cafe, as well as NPR's All Things Considered. The Kennedys themselves cite a teaching residency at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY, and an appointment as artists in residence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as highlights of the past year.
Coffeehouse pop, indeed. The name suggests the duo's commitment to the warm sonics and intimate vocals of the singer/songwriter scene, and their equally strong belief in the hooky melodies and jangly, sparkling guitars that are emblematic of classic pop. For a taste of this irresistible brew, try their upcoming Rounder/Philo release, the all-acoustic folk-pop Angel Fire.
