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love music! I don't think a day ever goes by that I don't have a CD playing on my computer or the radio on in the car. To me music really sets the mood. My music choices also reflect my mood. Music can be a very powerful thing.
I have a very eclectic taste in music. I will listen to Placido Domingo one minute (yes, I like opera!) and then Metallica the next, or from the Bee Gees to Kanye West. My musical tastes pretty much cover all types of music from rock, pop, metal, blues, jazz, opera... the list goes on. Oddly enough the one type of music that I'm not a huge fan of is country. Go figure. I like some as long as it has a bit of a pop/rock edge to it.
I recently had a wonderful opportunity to hear music from an up and coming artist called Aaron Barnhart. His debut album, Missing Pieces, is available on May 26, 2009 (which happens to be my birthday too!). WOW! This young man is amazing! He's been compared to the likes of Josh Grobin, Michael Jackson and Don Henley. I don't know about that. He reminds me more of Rob Thomas from Matchbox 20. Or Jason Mraz, Elliot Yamin, John Mayer or Joe Jackson.
It's really hard to pick out just ONE favorite from his debut CD. Honestly I truly enjoyed them all. His music is nice and calming. His beautiful voice is not drowned out by loud background music. Most of his background music tends to be pianos and string instruments.
Do you know how some music gets your blood pumping (like exercise music)? Aaron Barnhart is more like the music you would want to listen to when you want to be restful or if you are in a happy-go-lucky sort of mood. I have been listening to him as I work online and clean and I just find that his music make me feel happy and calm. Hopefully this makes sense. TRUST ME! This is not boring elevator music. NO WAY! What I mean is that his music is pure and unique and not over produced like a lot of other music these days.
I believe he writes his own music too. If that is true then this young man has a beautiful heart because some of the lyrics are so romantic.
If I had to pick my top three songs from the album I'd have to say
- Better then Happiness
- Day in Day Out
- Missing Pieces
I love how the music matches the mood of they lyrics. It's a perfect pairing.
Here is a video of Aaron singing his song "Pain Killer". This is an acoustic version, meaning there is no background music. On the album you'll get all the background music which really adds to the song.
This will give you some idea of the type of music he sings and that you'll find on the album.
I have a feeling you are going to be hearing a lot more about Aaron Barnhart once his debut album is released. I can't wait to hear his tunes playing on the radio. This young man is destined to be a star.
Check out his debit CD "Missing Pieces" available wherever music is sold on May 26, 2009.
One a side note doesn't he look like a combination of the actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, August Rush, Match Point) and that ultra-hottie Maksim Chmerkovskiy from Dancing with the Stars. LOL!
Thanks to the Family Review Network for the opportunity to learn more about this amazing new talent.
- http://shescribes.blogspot.com
Aaron Barnhart - Day In Day Out - Look for this one to be one of VH1’s featured videos soon. Excellent single and one of my current favorites. - JJ willis Music review
After listening to this CD several times, I've found that I really like this type of music. Aaron voice has a smooth sound and the songs are calming and enjoyable. He really has some talent! I love that the music is mostly piano or stringed instruments. I have no doubt that Aaron Barnhart will go far in the music business! If you enjoy music that makes you feel calm and happy, this is the CD for you! - Family Review Network
Aaron Barnhart - his debut CD titled "Missing Pieces" is set to release on May 26th. A single off the album called "Day In Day Out" has already received some good air time after releasing on March 23rd.
Aaron Barnhart's strong and soulful voice resonates in his emotion filled songs strung with tales of heartbreak and hope. He wrote all the songs in his album and you can tell he puts his all into singing them. He is trained in classical and jazz piano, and I especially love the piano accompaniment in many of his songs. I'd classify this album's genre as pop skirting adult contemporary. Of the 10 tracks on Missing Pieces, my very favorite is "Whatever You Get." The uplifting lyrics ring so true, remarking that whatever you give will eventually come back to you full-circle. The jazzy upbeat piano sound just makes me happy. I also like the popular "Day In Day Out" and can identify with the yearning in "One More Second Chance." - Brimful Curiosities
Aaron Barnhart’s debut album, MISSING PIECES, is as Aaron says, “a collection of songs that are a deep part of me and very close to my heart….”
During the past twelve months, Aaron set out to make an album that captured his powerful soulful sound. He wrote MISSING PIECES to express his unique vision while maintaining a sound and feel that is universally appealing.
The album was recorded with renowned producer Stuart Brawley, who has worked with Michael Jackson, Don Henley, Celine Dion and Josh Groban.
Aaron recently helped Fleetwood Mac prepare for their upcoming tour and played auxiliary keyboards with the band. Brett Tuggle, of Fleetwood Mac says, “I recently had the opportunity to hear a new artist named Aaron Barnhart. I was impressed by his talents as a singer/songwriter and musician. Aaron has that unique gift to be able to write a good song and deliver a vocal performance that is real and exciting to listen to. I believe Aaron has “the goods” to be a lasting force in music. Put on his new CD Missing Pieces, sit back and enjoy the ride…”
With the debut of his first album comes the announcement that Aaron is preparing for a series of live performances, coast to coast in The United States.
Sage and Savvy: I enjoyed so many songs from the Missing Pieces CD. It starts off with a really great track, Day In Day Out, which is also Barnhart’s first single. You can almost feel Barnhart’s pain in One More Second Chance, and Another Day and Whatever You Get are feel-good songs that are all about appreciating what you have in life. I have to admit that I was surprised that I enjoyed almost the entire Missing Pieces CD, especially since I never heard of Barnhart before, but I am now an Aaron Barnhart fan, and I’m sure he’ll be gaining lots more fans as more people discover his talent.
3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires: I think this CD is perfect to play while you are in the car or when you finally get to sit down at the end of the day to unwind. My favorite song out of the ten is “Whatever You Get”. This particular song has a feel-good style, is a little more upbeat than the others, and sends a nice message . . . “Whatever you get, give it away.”
She Scribes: Do you know how some music gets your blood pumping (like exercise music)? Aaron Barnhart is more like the music you would want to listen to when you want to be restful or if you are in a happy-go-lucky sort of mood. I have been listening to him as I work online and clean and I just find that his music make me feel happy and calm. Hopefully this makes sense. TRUST ME! This is not boring elevator music. NO WAY! What I mean is that his music is pure and unique and not over produced like a lot of other music these days.
Pink Family Reviews: I very much enjoyed this CD. When my kids are in the car, we usually listen to some sort of kiddie cd. After I dropped them off in the morning, I put this cd in and it was perfect. I also really like it after work on my way to pick up the girls. It was a relaxing way to unwind after a busy day at work.
From Melissa’s Desk: After listening to this CD several times, I’ve found that I really like this type of music. Aaron voice has a smooth sound and the songs are calming and enjoyable. He really has some talent! I love that the music is mostly piano or stringed instruments. I have no doubt that Aaron Barnhart will go far in the music business! If you enjoy music that makes you feel calm and happy, this is the CD for you! - Family Review Network
On his confident 2009 debut, young Hollywood-based singer-songwriter Aaron Banhart offers up an emotive set of adult-alternative tunes. Highly melodic and accessible, Banhart's songs are piano-driven and plaintive, often recalling the work of Aqualung's Matt Hales, as evinced on the dynamic "Day In, Day Out" and the melancholy "Missing Pieces." - CD Universe
Discography
"Missing Pieces" is the the new album from Aaron signed to Bonded Records and distributed through Universal/Fontana. "Day in Day Out" is the first single to go to radio and has been getting spins across the country and gaining momentum.
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Bio
AARON BARNHART
In the years after he received his degree in Music Production and Engineering from the prestigious Berklee School of Music, singer/songwriter Aaron Barnhart padded an enviable behind the scenes resume applying his expertise in MIDI and Pro Tools to numerous behind the scenes gigs: teaching at Full Sail University, working for KORG keyboards, and going on the road with Mary J. Blige and Fleetwood Mac as a tech. Along the way, realizing the difference between having a great job and a passionate career, the multi-talented performer returned to his first love of songwriting and discovered the Missing Pieces of his musical life.
The title track to his highly anticipated Bonded Records debut--helmed by famed producer Stuart Brawley (Michael Jackson, Don Henley, Howie Day, Lenka)--is all about wasting time with distractions before ultimately realizing that we were meant for bigger things. The song, co-penned with Trina Harmon, perfectly captures the excitement surrounding his emergence as a recording artist after a lengthy musical journey that led him everywhere from Boston to Orlando (where he joined the popular Southern touring band Foundation), out to Oregon (for his Master’s at the University of Oregon), down to San Francisco and finally L.A., where he has lived for the past three years.
As well traveled as the singer is, his infectious first single “Day In Day Out” is taking him to new destinations via airplay and radio promo dates at Triple A stations throughout the country. He also did a 12 date California based tour this summer opening for Dishwalla frontman J.R. Richards. A mainstay on the L.A. club circuit, Barnhart has performed—usually solo, with simple keyboard accompaniment--at hotspots like Cinespace, Room 5, The Knitting Factory and The Derby. He currently has a Monday night residency the R Bar in Koreatown.
From the wistful and transcendent “Better Than Happiness” to the quirky and uplifting “Another Day” and heart-tugging piano and vocal closer “Slings and Arrows,” most of the songs on Missing Pieces are uniquely introspective portraits of an artist finally coming to terms with his creative destiny. The beautiful harmonic ballad “One More Second Chance” uses powerful imagery to convey a lover’s desire to work things out, while the moody and intimate “Water’s Edge” is garnering TV and film licensing attention for its firsthand experience through addiction and redemption.
“Thoughout the album,” the 31-year old Barnhart says, “there’s this sense that I’m looking back on those years when I was trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn’t. I’m recognizing that there will always be spaces that need to be filled. I always worked in music, but for years I was scattered and didn’t really have the proper work ethic that it takes to commit to a successful career as a songwriter and artist.
“At 21,” he adds, “I was playing in rock bands, having a good time, and no one could tell me what to do and how I should sound. Now, fully engaged in the business of developing my solo career, I can appreciate how much work and how many hours of refinement it takes for artists like John Mayer and Coldplay to sound as great as they do. I understand the road to building and sustaining success as a ladder that never ends. It would be easy to look back and say, wow, I wish I would have achieved this when I was 21, but I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and feel that the timing is just right for me. I have so many more experiences to draw from as a songwriter.”
Throughout these formative years, Barnhart enjoyed the ongoing encouragement of David McKenna, his manager and President of Bonded Records, which is distributed by Fontana/Universal; the two have been friends since Barnhart’s days in Orlando, when McKenna was the singer’s student and Barnhart jammed at night with Foundation, which headlined such places as the Hard Rock and House of Blues. Once McKenna signed Barnhart to the label, the two tried out a handful of producers before choosing to work with Brawley at his Los Angeles based The Backyard Studio. Brawley heard the original demo for “Missing Pieces” and got excited about the possibility of furthering Barnhart’s development as an artist. “Stu responded to the same thing a lot of people do, the performance aspect of what I do, the fact that it’s not contrived,” says Barnhart. “When I sit down and play, there’s a necessity and reality to it. Stu is a producer in the true sense in that he was involved in shaping the entire sound of the record and its songcraft.”
Growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, Barnhart developed a deep love for nature and the outdoors at the same time his musical parents—dad was a pianist and drummer, mom a singer and radio personality—introduced him to a wide musical palette full of everything from Pink Floyd and Dan Fogelberg to Miles Davis, Mozart and Benny Goodman. Barnhart began playing piano a
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