Jennings And Keller
Homestead, Florida, United States | SELF
Music
Press
By Lee Zimmerman
Published: March 1, 2007
Laurie Jennings understands the merits of being a singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. As former proprietor of Homestead's now-defunct Mainstreet Café, she not only developed a solid reputation by booking nationally renowned folk acts but also frequently performed with her own house band, the Pathfinders. Although the club is now closed, Jennings hasn't given up on her singing career. She's partnered with local guitarist Dana Keller (who found his niche as a session player for Stevie Wonder and Vince Gill), and the duo are hitting the local coffeehouse circuit with original folk tunes that would likely find Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian nodding in approval. The result of this roots-rock partnership manifests in Susan's House, a sweetly serene acoustic collection that conjures up Day-Glo visions of incense, patchouli, and tie-dye. With Jennings' clear, crystalline vocals and Keller's vibrant picking on acoustic guitar and dobro buoying the arrangements, lilting tunes such as "Saying Goodbye," "The Ocean of My Heart," and "Time Changes" bear the grace and finesse of traditional folk compositions. At times, the couple's starry-eyed sentiments are charmingly childlike, as reflected in "I Wanted to Be Maria," a song inspired by the singing nun from The Sound of Music, and the album's title tune, an evocative ode to a friend's house turned haven. The jaunty song "Smart Blonde" shows that the duo is also satirical and proves that even the fiercest stereotype can't derail earnest intentions. - New Times Broward-Palm Beach
Finalists: 2007 South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Competition--5th Place
Finalists : 2007 Suwannee Springfest Songwriting Competition
Finalists: 2007 Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival Songwriting Competition--3rd Place
Finalists: 2007 SolarFest Songwriting Competition
Emerging Artists: 2007 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival - Various
Discography
Jennings & Keller
Susan's House (Self-released)
Photos
Bio
Laurie Jennings Oudin:
Laurie spent her early years in New York City as a Shakespearean actress before taking up the guitar and exploring the world of a singer-songwriter. Laurie is known as the former proprietress of The Main Street Café, which, during its 8 ½ years in business, was considered the premier Acoustic music club in Florida. In between serving up the best cappuccino on the East Coast, Laurie was consistently playing guitar and writing songs, and since the café’s closing in June 2006, she has been working full time as a singer/songwriter, and touring the country in a motor home with her partner Dana.
Dana Keller:
Dana Keller is a veteran pedal steel, dobro, and guitar player who has spent the past 25 years performing on stage or in the studio with such luminaries as Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Stevie Wonder, Larry Graham, Marvin Gaye, Dave Mason, Johnny Rodriguez and The Allen Brothers, to name a few. Dana has been an endorsee of the Gretsch Guitar and Drum Company since 1980.
In 2007 alone, Laurie and Dana have created quite a stir. They released their debut CD, 'Susan's House', and in a matter of months were finalists in 5 different songwriting festivals. When not on the road, they are hard at work on their next CD
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