HEADLINES

Kenny Sawyer An Undiscovered Songwriting Jewel!

January 20, 2020
Kenny Sawyer has been writing since he was quite young and throughout the years he's been over looked and passed on from  many labels and talent scouts. When it looked like Kenny was on the brink of success he was either called home to Vermont or was not there when fame called. Bad luck, wrong timing? Who knows but it brings us here today. So he continued to struggle to etch out a meager living where ever he was living at the time. In every band Kenny led, originals was always to the forefront and prominent, sometimes this hindered him in small locals bars where the majority of patrons wanted the hit radio cover tunes he so much wanting to write. 

He never gave up and he continued to play his songs always giving everyone a show to remember. Even one time playing through a lightening storm and pouring rain in Elmore, Vermont at an outside all day multiple  band show. It wasn't until promoter John Wilson pulled the plug that he stopped performing! He then got out his acoustic guitar and continued to entertain throughout the night. Giving all a show they still talk about today He has always had his share of fans who to this day still know and sing his catchy songs, playing parties and small venues in Northern Vermont for those die hard lovers of his tunes. They seem to know them all word for word. Over and over he starts a tune and they join in like he's been on the radio all his life. He says he feels so blessed that his friends not only remember the songs but sing along as well. A troubadour to say the least. 

A few years back he wrote an album for a Howard Stern character, Bigfoot and appeared on the show performing his undeniable crafty tunes for over 4 million listeners that morning. The phones rang and offers came in but as with so many bands it fell apart before he could capitalize on this opportunity. Kenny and his band were some of the last artists to play CBGB's in NYC doing an acoustic show as well as a rocking driving punk review on a snowy night in December. Around the same time closing a Sunday packed house show at the famous Stone Pony in New Jersey. A battle of the bands with a rousing crowd and enthusiastic management. A kind bartender learned his songs out back because the bass player never showed and tore up the place with his unique sound and style fitting in perfectly with Kenny's tunes that night. Everyone was amazed that he wasn't on the radio and greeted him after the show with high praise and higher fives. Instead he returned back to Vermont and obscurity.

As a means to earn a living during all those years Kenny fell back on his father and mother's rental business and this allowed him a measure of freedom to write and perform. His parents always supported him in every aspect of his life often rescuing him from near disaster more than once. Their belief in him has kept him off the streets and in comfortable situations most his life. The last eight years taking care of his father and two disabled ladies in Northern Vermont. This has kept him busy and somewhat fulfilled although his music never took a backseat. He's become a wise and gentle soul helping many people through his generosity and kindness. Things taught to him when he was in need of a helping hand. 

Years ago when he lived in LA a Sony Representative loved his catalog and open the studio for him to finish up his demos. But as usual his band was not interested in moving to LA and his other obligations begun tugged him back home, thus blowing an early opportunity and crushing the dreams he had. Never one to get down or quit Kenny threw together another band in Vermont and started getting his songs down and ready to tour. It didn't happen then or now. He has not found the right players to back him up, either they didn't understand his vision or were not inclined to travel. It just never happened. As he says today "bands are like being married to eight people, if you include various wives and girlfriends, you're dealing with many opinions and expectations. No ones ever happy" 

His past bands have included "Sweet Jade" in Cleveland, Ohio, "Slave's Of Society" in Hartford Ct and Vermont, "Bad Boyz" with Mark Hornbacher in Northern Vermont. "Sticks & Stones" in Stowe, Vermont and "Sawyer Davis Band" throughout New England and Nashville,Tennessee. Not to mention way too many throw together bands and shows in places like Keene, New Hampshire area as well as NYC and New Jersey. Some of the songs they were known for was "Stop" "PCH" "On and On" "No High Waters" "Rock My World" "Missing U" "Peace Out" "Don't Go Away" among many others.

He has become know a bit as a new protest singer with a 60's edge and has much to say about today's crazy society and it's distracting direction it's sometimes headed. He has got well over an album of these commentary tunes but has not the money nor the means to record them. He does have his song "(In The Land Of) Milk And Honey" which is getting some attention the world over and has garnered him a measure of recognizably. Yet he continues to seek his audience and the 10 year tour he lives for! 

In the last few months many artists have begun to record his songs which please him to no end. He's got an up coming singer from the UK named Phillip WB whose recorded 12 songs as well as Kenny's lovely enduring Christmas song and Phillip WB has begun to perform in venues and shop for a label the world over.  Dubravka Ugarkovic of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is currently in studio recording his song  "If Only" and Kenny loves her version. Two artists from Greece, one Aggeliki Adamopoulou who just became a Deputy in the Greece Parliament, is recording "Nowhere to Run" in between her duties as Deputy! And Adriana Venus has recorded and released "NYC"  on her 3rd. album Dreamscape. The band Mistreated from the UK is now recording "Moving Up"  Also Kenneth Perrin is covering the "Christmas" song as well a possibly two "gospel" numbers Kenny has written. In Germany Anna Chrom has done an acoustic version of "Leave Tomorrow Behind" and she's playing it all over Germany as we speak. An artist in Italy named SAS is going through Kenny's songbook at the moment finding some tunes to record and perform on her up coming record. Ryno Seven out of Newport Beach, California is starting to perform "One Night Stand" with great results from their live audiences and looking forward to recording it soon too. And finally a talented classical piano player named Neil from New Castle Upon Tyne UK at neilsound.com is getting ready to record a few of Kenny's songs with his brilliant classical piano sound! That should be very interesting for sure.These are just a few of the wonderfully talented performers who recording his songs today.

Kenny has several more artists inquiring about his diverse and radio friendly songbook so look for more interesting versions coming out soon. It appears he may find his audience after all.

But there is one artist he's trying to reach but has had no luck in the last few years and that is a great singer he saw perform as a youngster in St. Albans, Vermont annual Dairy Day, and she is named Keeghan Nolan. Keeghan lives between Nashville and Vermont pursuing her career as a singer and songwriter, so if anyone see her tell Mr. Sawyer is calling, His songs "Farm Girl" and "Trailer Park Star" await her to come and discover them. He had her in mind when writing those tunes and really wants her to take them all the way, and as Kenny says "only Keeghan can." 

Though he was featured in recently released Lifoti's January/February 2020 issue 11, you can check it from below link's for your country:

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