Artist description Cletus Kennelly is a three-time Wammie Award winner (Washington Area Music Association awards) for "BEST NEW ARTIST" (2000), "SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR" (2001) and "BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK MALE VOCALIST" (2001). His eclectic music incorporates urban folk and elements of melodic pop and alternative rock. Aside from the three Wammie awards, he has also received nominations in these categories: BEST DEBUT RECORDING (2000)("Thread"), BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK RECORDING (2000)("Thread"), "SONG OF THE YEAR" (2001) (for "Looking Up"), BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK DUO/GROUP (with Lori Kelley) (2002), and Best CD Design (2000)("Thread"). He accompanies his clear, passionate vocals with both the power and the delicacy of his 12-string acoustic guitar. His songs create vivid character portraits as they explore the range of human emotions, while using phonetic phrasing and wordplay to accompany his rhythmic and percussive style of playing. Cletus' songs are highly crafted, alert and contemplative. His work has earned him 30 songwriting awards, including 2nd Place Awards in the 2001, 1999 and 1997 Mid-Atlantic Song Contests, five 3rd Place Awards (in four genres) in the 2000 and 2002 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, and a 3rd Place Award in the 1998 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. The range of categories in which he has received awards (Folk, Pop, Modern/Alternative, AAA [Adult Album Alternative], and Rock) displays the stylistic breadth of his music. His work has brought him the honor of being selected to perform at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. RECORDINGS: After success as a songwriter, Cletus began recording with legendary guitarist Pete Kennedy (The Kennedys, Nanci Griffith). He then followed up that recording with his debut CD "Thread", which along with Pete Kennedy was produced by Washington Area Producer of the Year Marco Delmar (Basehead, Lisa Moscatiello). The CD features some of the D.C. area's finest musicians, including Pete and Maura Kennedy (Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Kennedys), Tamir Eid (emmit swimming), Steve Hansgen (Minor Threat), Morgan Rowe, Arthur Loves Plastic, Lea, Ray Ruskin, Richard 'Dahl, Jennifer Fentress, and Audrey Morris.

Music Style Urban Alternative Folk

Musical Influences The Smiths, Neil Young, 10,000 Maniacs, R.E.M., Ani Difranco, Joe Jackson, Indigo Girls, Lindsey Buckingham

Similar Artists Richard Shindell, Neil Young, Ani Difranco, Matthew Sweet, John Gorka, R.E.M., David Wilcox, James Taylor, The Smiths, 10,000 Maniacs, Train, Gin Blossoms, Don McLean, Five For Fighting, Indigo Girls

Group Members Cletus Kennelly; Guest Artists on CD: Pete Kennedy, Maura Kennedy, Tamir Eid, Marco Delmar, Lea, Ray Ruskin, Steve Hansgen. Backing Vocalists on CD: Maura Kennedy, Lea, Jennifer Fentress, Morgan Rowe, Richard 'Dahl, Audrey Morris, Joseph Ross

Instruments Vocals, Acoustic 12 and 6-string guitars, Bass guitar, Drums,Electric guitar,Percussion

Albums Thread

Press Reviews "Cletus Kennelly has a way with words. [He] takes only the finest words - the most honest and expressive. He painstakingly crafts them into finely wrought phrases, and coaxes them into verse. That's just what one would imagine, listening to the poetic songs on [his CD] "Thread". "[Songwriting] is a gossamer art, especially in Kennelly's capable hands." "As simple and as complicated as life itself, "Thread" is that and much more: it has Kennelly's impeccably chosen words, first of all." "He is able to pan for nuggets of lyrical gold." "The time has come, Cletus Kennelly, for people to start listening to you." (Chris Slattery, Montgomery Gazette, March 2000) "What makes Cletus great is Cletus. He has a way of connecting to the audience directly, and the rich quality of his voice is so effective, he doesn't need a band behind him. That he has such a good one [on the CD and sometimes in concert] is a bonus." (Ray Ruskin, Kensington Coffee House). "Cletus Kennelly wields a mean 12-string acoustic and writes a moving tune...the earnest and true kind." Eric Brace, The Washington Post, May 2001) "[Thread]is a strong emotionally engaging record!" "Thread will wake up the listener; it is truly worthy of your attention. Cletus Kennelly is a powerful artist." "His player collaborators add to Kennelly's personally rich talent and accomplishments to make a truly rich, memorable CD for all of us to enjoy and be inspired by." "Thread needs to be bought by all lovers of coffeehouse fare, and, yes, genre-crossing music of great power." (Cliff Johns, Old Town Crier, 2000 December) WANT TO RATE AND/OR REVIEW THIS CD? GO TO www.amazon.com, enter "CLETUS KENNELLY" and follow instructions from there. Thanks!

Location Washington, D.C. - USA

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