Paul Kennerley

Paul Kennerley
BornHoylake, Cheshire, England
GenresCountry music
Occupation(s)Vocalist
Songwriter
Guitarist
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1972–present
LabelsA&M
Spinout

Paul Kennerley (born 1948) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer working in the American contemporary country music industry.

Biography

Kennerley was born in Hoylake, Cheshire, England in 1948. In 1976, he was living in London and working in advertising when he first heard country music — particularly, the song "Let's All Help the Cowboys Sing the Blues" by Waylon Jennings. "It really excited me," Kennerley recalls in his artist biography for Universal Music Group. "I immediately hunted down every Waylon record I could find."

Kennerley quit his job in advertising and allowed himself three months to develop his talents as a songwriter.

Recordings

In 1972, Kennerley recorded an album with a rock band called 'Holy Roller' at Virgin Records' newly opened Manor studio, with Tom Newman (Mike Oldfield, Tubular Bells etc.) and Philip Newell, and Newman subsequently sang all the songs on the demonstration tapes of the White Mansions album.

Kennerley's first project was White Mansions, a 1978 concept album set in the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The project was picked up by A&M Records, with Glyn Johns producing. A number of notable artists recorded the music, including Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Steve Cash of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and Eric Clapton.

In 1980, a second concept album was released, The Legend of Jesse James, which featured more notable artists, including Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Charlie Daniels, Albert Lee and Levon Helm.[1]

Misery with a Beat, his 1995 EP, featured Richard Bennett and Billy Bremner on guitar, Michael Rhodes on bass, and Chad Cromwell on drums with songs including "Love Match"; - "Heart Full of Rain"; - "Tryin' to Get Over You" (co-written with J Ford & Bobby Womack); - "She was Mine" - and - "The Heartbreak Kind" (co-written with Marty Stuart)[2]

Songwriting

Neither White Mansions nor Jesse James were commercially successful, but they did establish Kennerley as a serious songwriter. Among his early compositions was "Born to Run", which Emmylou Harris recorded in 1981 for her album, Cimarron, and she continues to frequently perform the song in her concerts.

Kennerly continued to live in London while he wrote songs, but in 1983 moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he started working with Harris on her semi-autobiographical concept album, The Ballad of Sally Rose, co-writing and producing the album.[3] Kennerley also collaborated with Harris on her albums Thirteen and Bluebird, and writing the songs "In My Dreams" and "Heartbreak Hill".

Kennerley also wrote songs for The Judds ("Young Love", "One Man Woman", "Let Me Tell You About Love", "Cry Myself to Sleep", "Have Mercy" and "Give a Little Love"), Marty Stuart ("Hillbilly Rock", "Western Girls", "Tempted", "Till I Found You", "Little Things"), Tanya Tucker ("Walking Shoes"), Sweethearts of the Rodeo ("Chains of Gold"), Patty Loveless ("Blue Memories"), Juice Newton ("Tell Me True"), The Everly Brothers ("The First In Line") as well as Carla Olson & John York (First In Line).

Personal life

Kennerley was married to Emmylou Harris from 1985 to 1993.[4]

Awards

Kennerley was named Broadcast Music Incorporated Writer of the Year in 1989.

Songs used in television shows

TV Programme Song
Northern Exposure "Poor Boy Blues"
The Sopranos "Heaven Only Knows"
Nashville "Ball and Chain"
Nashville "You're the Kind of Trouble"
Animal Kingdom "That's the Truth"
Ken Burns : Country Music "Born to Run"

Songs used in films

Film Song
Baja, Oklahoma "In My Dreams"
Thelma and Louise "I Don't Want to Love You (But I Do)"
The Lost Boys "Crazy Old Soldier"
A Star is Born "Diggin My Grave"
Wild Rose "Born to Run"


Top 20 songs on the Billboard Country Charts written by Kennerley

Song Recorded by Year Achieved Co Written
Have Mercy The Judds 1985 No 1
Cry Myself to Sleep The Judds 1986 No 1
Young Love (Strong Love) The Judds 1989 No 1 *
Let Me Tell You About Love The Judds 1989 No 1 *
Give a Little Love The Judds 1988 No 2
Born to Run Emmylou Harris 1982 No 3
Walking Shoes Tanya Tucker 1990 No 3
In My Dreams Emmylou Harris 1984 No 4
The Blue Side of Town Patty Loveless 1989 No 4 *
Chains of Gold The Sweethearts of the Rodeo 1987 No 5
Tempted Marty Stuart 1991 No 5 *
One Hundred and Two The Judds 1991 No 6 *
Tell Me True Juice Newton 1988 No 8 *
Hillbilly Rock Marty Stuart 1990 No 8
Heartbreak Hill Emmylou Harris 1989 No 8 *
Little Things Marty Stuart 1991 No 8 *
One Man Woman The Judds 1990 No 8
Till I Found You Marty Stuart 1991 No 12 *
White Line Emmylou Harris 1985 No 13 *
Heaven Only Knows Emmylou Harris 1989 No 14
Western Girls Marty Stuart 1990 No 20 *
Heart Trouble Martina McBride 1993 No 21

NOTE ( 18 of the above songs received BMI Awards, 15 of which were 1 million plays, 4 were 2 million plays and 1 was a 3 million play award )

Discography

Recordings

As producer

As composer

Year Song Artist Album Co-written with
1980 Southern Boys Matchbox Midnight Dynamos
1981 Born to Run Emmylou Harris Cimarron
1982 Gonna Write a Letter Waylon Jennings Black on Black
1983 Feel so Right Dave Edmunds Information
1983 The Watch on my Wrist Dave Edmunds Information
1983 I'll be Faithful to You The Kendalls Movin Ttrain
1983 That's the Truth Johnny Cash Johnny 99
1983 Brand New Dance Johnny Cash Johnny 99
1983 Let it Roll Charlie Daniels A Decade of Hits
1983 Crazy Old Soldier David Allan Coe Hello in There Troy Seals
1983 In my Dreams Emmylou Harris White Shoes
1984 The First in Line The Everly Brothers EB 84
1984 I'll be Faithful to You Glen Campbell Letter To Home
1984 Where Would I Be (Without You) Waylon Jennings Never Could Toe the Mark
1984 Rock and Roll Shoes Ray Charles Friendship Graham Lyle
1984 Crazy Old Soldier Ray Charles Friendship Troy Seals
1984 Nothing Can Hurt Me Now Gail Davies Where Is a Woman To Go Bob McDill
1984 Take that Woman Away John Anderson Eye of a Hurricane
1984 I'll Be Faithful to You Don Williams Cafe Carolina
1985 I've Got Me a Woman John Anderson Tokyo, Oklahoma
1985 Have Mercy The Judds Rockin' with the Rhythm
1985 Cry Myself To Sleep The Judds Rockin' with the Rhythm
1985 Feels so Right Brenda Lee Feels so Right
1985 I'll be Faithful Marie Osmond There's no Stopping your Heart
1985 { Waylon Jennings {
1985 Welfare Line { Willie Nelson { Highway Man
1985 { Johnny Cash {
1985 { Kris Kristofferson {
1985 You Make it Feel so Right Steve Wariner Greatest Hits
1986 Chains of Gold Sweethearts of the Rodeo Sweethearts of the Rodeo
1986 Looking for Suzanne Waylon Jennings Sweet Mother of Texas
1986 I'll Be Faithful To You Don Williams Lovers And Best Friends
1986 Sweetheart of the Pines Emmylou Harris Thirteen Emmylou Harris
1986 When I Was Yours Emmylou Harris Thirteen Emmylou Harris
1986 I Had my Heart Set on You Emmylou Harris Thirteen Rodney Crowell
1986 I've Got Me a Woman Waylon Jennings Will the Wolf Survive
1986 We Remember The King Class of '55 * Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming
1987 When He Calls Emmylou Harris Angel Band
1987 Lying In Her Arms John Anderson Blue Skies Again John Anderson
1987 Let It Shine On Me Nanci Griffith Lone Star State of Mind
1987 The Blue Side Of Town Rosie Flores Rosie Flores Hank DeVito
1987 Woman Walk The Line Highway 101 Highway 101 Emmylou Harris
1987 Tell me True Juice Newton Brent Maher
1988 The Blue Side Of Town Patty Loveless Honky Tonk Angel Hank DeVito
1988 Give a Little Love The Judds Greatest Hits
1988 Heaven only Knows Emmylou Harris Bluebird
1988 Heartbreak Hill Emmylou Harris Bluebird Emmylou Harris
1989 Away From You Jason & the Scorchers Thunder and Fire Jason Ringenberg
1989 One Man Woman The Judds River of Time
1989 Young Love The Judds River of Time Kent Robbins
1989 Let Me Tell You About Love The Judds River of Time Carl Perkins and Brent Maher
1989 When I Get My Rewards Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle be Unbroken-V2
1989 Mary Danced With Soldiers Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle be Unbroken-V2
1989 The Tears that I Cry John Anderson Too Tough to Tame John Anderson
1989 Hillbilly Rock Marty Stuart Hillbilly Rock
1989 Western Girls Marty Stuart Hillbilly Rock Marty Stuart
1989 Easy to Love, Hard to Hold Marty Stuart Hillbilly Rock Marty Stuart
1990 Poor Boy Blues Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler Neck and Neck
1990 Sweet Dreams of You Emmylou Harris Brand New Dance John David
1990 Brand New Dance Emmylou Harris Brand New Dance
1990 Walking Shoes Tanya Tucker Tennessee Woman
1990 I Don't want to Love You, (But I Do) Kelly Willis Well Travelled Love
1990 Looking for Someone Like You Kelly Willis Well Travelled Love Kevin Welch
1990 Love can Build a Bridge The Judds
1990 One Hundred and Two The Judds Wynonna Judd & Don Potter
1990 Blue Memories Patty Loveless On Down the Line Karen Brooks
1990 I've Got to Stop Loving You (and Start Living Again) Patty Loveless On Down the Line
1990 I'll be Faithful to You Marie Osmond The Best of Marie Osmond
1991 Trail of Tear Tanya Tucker What Do I Do With Me
1991 Till I Found You Marty Stuart Tempted Hank DeVito
1991 Tempted Marty Stuart Tempted Marty Stuart
1991 Little Things Marty Stuart Tempted Marty Stuart
1992 Woman Walk the Line Trisha Yearwood Hearts in Arm Emmylou Harris
1992 Live With Jesus Wynonna Judd Wynonna
1992 Danger Ahead Tanya Tucker Can't Run from Yourself
1992 Down Home Marty Stuart This One's Gonna Hurt You Marty Stuart
1992 Hey Baby Marty Stuart This One's Gonna Hurt You Marty Stuart
1992 Letter of Love Jason Ringenberg One Foot in the Honky Tonk
1992 Feels so Right Jason Ringenberg One Foot in the Honky Tonk
1992 The Blue Side of Town The Del McCoury Band Blue side of Town Hank DeVito
1993 World without You Kelly Willis Kelly Willis Kelly Willis
1993 Sugar Babe Billy Burnette Coming Home Billy Burnette
1993 Heart Trouble Martina McBride The Way that I Am
1994 One More Chance Barry & Holly Tashian Straw into Gold Barry Tashian
1995 Love Match Paul Kennerley Misery With a Beat
1995 Heart Full of Rain Paul Kennerley Misery With a Beat
1995 Tryin' to Get Over You Paul Kennerley Misery With a Beat J Ford & Bobby Womak
1995 She was Mine Paul Kennerley Misery With a Beat
1995 The Heartbreak Kind Paul Kennerley Misery With a Beat Marty Stuart
1996 Draggin' My Heart Around Travis Tritt The Restless Kind Marty Stuart
1996 Double Trouble Travis Tritt The Restless Kind Marty Stuart & Travis Tritt
1996 Country Girls Marty Stuart Honky Tonkin's What I do Best Marty Stuart
1996 Rocket Ship Marty Stuart Honky Tonkin's What I do Best Marty Stuart
1998 Heartbreak Kind Linda Ronstadt We Ran Marty Stuart
1998 Born to Run Emmylou Harris Spyboy
1999 He Was Mine Linda Ronstadt & Emmilou Harris Western Wall:The Tucson Sessions
1999 Love Match Buddy Miller Cruel Moon
2000 When I Get My Rewards The Waco Brothers Electric Waco Chair
2001 Rodeo or Mexico Garth Brooks Scarecrow Bryan Kennedy & Garth Brooks
2002 I'll be Faithful to You Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle be Unbroken
2003 Draggin' My Heart Around Patty Loveless On Your Way Home Marty Stuart
2003 Heartbreak Hill Albert Lee Heartbreak Hill Emmylou Harris
2003 Heaven Only Knows Albert Lee Heartbreak Hill
2003 Born To Run Albert Lee Heartbreak Hill
2003 In My Dreams Albert Lee Heartbreak Hill
2003 Jupiter Rising Emmylou Harris Stumble into Gracee
2003 Heart Trouble Wanda Jackson Heart Trouble
2003 It Happens Every Time Wanda Jackson Heart Trouble Joe Brown
2003 Lonely For You Wanda Jackson Heart Trouble Marty Stuart
2003 If You Want Me Around Marty Stuart Country Music Marty Stuart
2005 When I Get Just My Rewards Rick Danko Cryin' Heart Blues
2005 Young Love Wynonna Judd Her Story Kent Robbins
2005 Let Me Tell You About Love Wynonna Judd Her Story Carl Perkins and Brent Maher
2006 Honey, Where's the Money Gone? Kenny Rogers Water and Bridges Barry Tashian
2006 Honey, Where's the Money Gone? Solomon Burke Nashville Barry Tashian
2006 You're the Kind of Trouble Solomon Burke Nashville Shannon & Adam Wright
2008 Got Me A Woman Levon Helm Dirt Farmer
2008 A Train Robber Levon Helm Dirt Farmer
2008 The Wishing Well Joe Brown More of the Truth Shawn Camp
2008 No Cadillac Joe Brown More of the Truth
2009 Diamond in my Crown Patty Loveless Maintain Soul II Emmylou Harris
2009 Live With Jesus The Oak Ridge Boys A Gospel Journey
2010 Fallin' for You Dierks Bentley Up on the Ridge Shawn Camp
2010 You're the King of Trouble The Holmes Brothers Feed my Soul Shannon & Adam Wright
2011 A Train Robber Levon Helm Ramble at the Ryman
2014 When I Get My Rewards Harry Dean Stanton Partly Fiction
2014 Rock And Roll Shoes Johnny Cash Out Among The Stars Graham Lyle
2014 Lonely For You Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis Our Year Kelly Willis
2014 Rock and Roll Shoes Johnny Cash Out Among the Stars Graham Lyle
2016 Born to Run Lee Ann Womak The Life & Songs of Emmylou Harris
2018 Diggin My Grave Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper A Star is Born
2019 Born to Run Jessie Buckley Wild Rose
2021 Born to Run Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Ramble in Music City

* Class of 55 (Carl Perkins; Jerry Lee Lewis; Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash)

References

  1. ^ Cornelius, Jim (20 March 2013). "The Legend of Jesse James". Frontier Partisan. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. ^ Jana Pendragon. "Misery with a Beat: Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  3. ^ Hurst, Jack (10 March 1985). "More Than A Hint Emmylou Harris Comes Out In `Ballad Of Sally Rose". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  4. ^ Jerome, Jim (14 January 1991). "Emmylou Harris". People. Retrieved 1 May 2017.