Kennedy is running for President. Like the current Bush administration, Kennedy is on a mission to make the world a sexier place. He is a lightning bolt of freedom into the pants of millions of Americans. In a land of musical midgets Kennedy’s looms over the music business like Godzilla, knocking the other candidates on their asses.

Like Jimi Hendrix, but whiter and with stronger LSD, Kennedy’s musical genius took the UK by storm and is now conquering the rest of the world (Canada included). Kennedy is a cornerstone of the new UK music movement called DirtyPop. Led by British Garage pioneer DJ Sticky and producers Count Da Money, DirtyPop is hot, sexy, danceable and fertile. Kennedy is their poster boy, spokesmodel, and resident alien.

Kennedy’s music video for “Your Mama” is more than election propaganda; it is an internet sensation, cultural benchmark and pop phenomenon. After being viewed over 1 million times in it’s first week on YouTube and over 3 million times and counting, it makes the Paris Hilton sex video look like Cop Rock. It is a wondrous disco rollercoaster ride through a mystical land of MILF’s, Cougars, and disgruntled children. Some accolades include being featured on YouTube’s home page (on Mother’s Day no less), named one of iFilm’s viral videos of the year, and winning Fuse’s Oven Fresh competition, beating out the likes of Justin Timberlake, Fergie, Outkast and more.

Born Jack Kennedy to a father named John Wayne, Kennedy is a true American. Clawing his way out of the pop culture abyss Kennedy is songwriter, M.C., rock star, gigolo and future Commander in Briefs. Equal parts raconteur and provocateur, Kennedy is the consummate showman: a bit of PT Barnum, a dash of Woody Allen, a spoonful of Mark Mothersbaugh and a heaping helping of Dirk Diggler.

Long before Kennedy was a Presidential candidate, he spent his formative years in Hollywood working as a tape op at the legendary Cherokee studios. Here he learned the art of recording by working with acts like Mack 10, Taj Mahal, Nik Venet, Brandy, The Lemonheads and various Death Row Recording artists.

After being kicked out of L.A.'s Silversun Pickups for setting the singer's sweater on fire, Kennedy was selected to open for Jon Brion at Café Largo in Los Angeles. The name-dropping doesn't end there. Kennedy has also become a favorite among LA's hipster illuminati, sharing the stage with Fiona Apple, David Cross, Elliot Smith, Sarah Silverman, Diamond Nights, Aimee Mann, Tenacious D, The Black Keys, and many other somewhat talented artists.

In 2007 Kennedy signed a lucrative contract with Cordless Recordings, a Warner Music Group company. Kennedy’s new album “Kennedy For President” is the soundtrack to Kennedy’s political platform as well as the slow ballin’ album of the year. In a sign of cross-Atlantic political unity, the album will be released by Cordless Recordings in the US and Atlantic Records in the UK. Being christened “The most important album since Pet Sounds,” this record is an attention whore. Get out yer cash and pay the slut.

Heather Lauren - Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Heather has performed consistently in the San Francisco Bay Area over the last five years with special appearances in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Austin, TX and Milan, Italy. She was awarded 2006 Song of the Year for the West Coast Songwriter's International Song Competition, for which original composition entitled "Sense of Me," produced and co-written with Bonnie Hayes and cellist and songwriter, Matthew Schoening, won first place. Heather has opened for Fiona Apple and Tori Amos and is now actively performing in Los Angeles, her new home.

Henry Gummer - Henry comes from a small town in the Berkshire Mountains of Connecticut. In 2004, he moved to New York and founded the tragically under-heard pop band Bravo Silva (for which he played under the anonym Silva). Over the ensuing years, Henry honed his ear for a catchy melody and memorable turn of phrase, and, in the spring of 2007, struck out on his own in pursuit of the perfect song. Currently a resident of Los Angeles, Henry is working on his debut solo effort.

Larry Bagby - Born and raised in California, this singer/songwriter and actor most recently performed “Counting My Lucky Stars,” the only original song, on a CBS television Cold Case episode featuring a Tim McGraw soundtrack. In addition, Larry's musical talents took him to Nashville, where he competed for a spot on USA Network show Nashville Star. Larry was chosen out of 20,000 competitors to go to Nashville and compete with 56 regional finalists vying for one of 10 coveted spots on the show's fifth season. Also, with an acting career that spans more than 20 years, Larry has appeared in Walk the Line, Saints and Soldiers and Hocus Pocus, and has many guest appearances on shows such as CSI, JAG, Malcolm in the Middle, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer as football hero Larry Blaisdell. Larry can also be seen in numerous commercials.

Paul Nagi - It has been four years since this singer/songwriter left New York City to head west. With an original musical sound that bridges the gap between British new wave and indie rock and vocals that are reminiscent of Jeff Buckley and Morrissey, Paul continues to win over the hearts of music fans. Lyrics that are heartfelt and vividly succinct evoke a time in music when words had meaning. Without the help of management or agents, he released his first, three song ep, Auto Repair, in December 2006 at a private show in Silverlake.

The Acoustic Lounge is one of many opportunities BMI offers to artists to showcase their talent in front of their peers and a supportive audience. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun, offering a great opportunity to network with other aspiring and working singer/songwriters. For established writers, it provides a chance to monitor new musical trends and be involved in the grass-roots/DIY musical movement.

Writing complex, quality pop songs void of gimmicks and clichés, their sound is a balance of high energy and melancholy atmosphere.

Wintergreen recently teamed up with producer/mixer Niko Bolas (Neil Young, Keith Richards, My Morning Jacket, Fiona Apple, Travis), to put the final touches on their debut EP. With their first release, “The Extended Play,” Wintergreen showcase refreshingly elaborate guitar work that puts them in the same league as Television and the Smiths. The vocals conjure sounds reminiscent of Elliot Smith and the Beatles, and are backed by a powerful rhythm section influenced by early 90s rockers like the Pixies and Fugazi. With a heartfelt sound that is truly timeless, original yet subtly familiar, every note is played with a passion that shakes listeners to their core.

The taste and talent demonstrated by this hard-working and humble band is giving people reasons to remain in love with music. Give it one listen and you’ll be hooked.

http://www.wintergreenmusic.com/

The 28-year-old hip-hop superstar’s ubiquitous single “Gold Digger” (featuring some Ray Charles-ish backing vocals from friend Jamie Foxx) has effortlessly topped pop, r&b, digital and ringtone charts, while sales of its accompanying album, Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), exceeded two million in less than two months. With eight Grammy nominations and his name on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, you’d probably think that the artist’s ego is probably as big as his bank account.

“I’m depressed,” he says.

Uh, come again?

“It’s hard when people are depending on you to have an album that’s not just good, but inspired,” he continues, referring to the out-of-the-box success of his debut album, The College Dropout, which in addition to going triple platinum, earned Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B Song and launched the catchily meditative “Jesus Walks” into a million consciousnesses. “I mean, my music isn’t just music — it’s medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what they need. Every time I make an album, I’m trying to make a cure for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!”

Any widespread concerns about West’s being a one-Trick Pony were dispelled by “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” a sweeping single that preceded Late Registration by several weeks and went to the top of the charts, pumped not only by West’s impassioned vocals but also by an ingenious utilization of Shirley Bassey’s James Bond theme, “Diamonds Are Forever.”

The pop smarts were gained from years in the production booth, delivering chart-toppers for Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Ludacris and Alicia Keys. Indeed, his production work on Jay-Z’s now-classic 2001 album The Blueprint, where he drew upon such sources as the Jackson 5, the Doors and the Temptations to put across Jay’s rhymes, made him the go-to producer in hip-hop.

That success was parlayed into a recording contract, but just as things started cooking, West was involved in a near-fatal auto accident in 2002. “I have flashbacks of what happened every day,” he says. “And anytime I hear about any accident my heart sinks in and I thank God that I’m still here. I found out how short life is and how blessed you are to be here.” The experience informed both “Through the Wire,” which he performed with his jaw still wired shut, and the triumphant “Jesus Walks.”

Flash forward to 2005, and with the help of composer/producer Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann), West has delivered an album that’s sure to lead many year-end “best of” lists. In addition to Foxx and Jay-Z, Late Registration’s guest list includes Brandy, Paul Wall, Cam’ron, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and his longtime friend and collaborator John Legend.

The result is an epic in every sense, ranging from the personal to the political, from the romantic to the off-the-wall hilarious. “Crack Music,” with its one-line hook from hip-hop icon The Game, examines the effects of drugs on the black community, as does the searing “Addiction,” wherein West wonders why it is that “everything that’s supposed to be bad makes me feel so good?” On “Bring Me Down,” Brandy lends her soulful voice to West’s cynical raps like “If you ever wanted to ever be anything, there’ll always be somebody that’ll shoot down any dream.”

On the flip side, there’s the infectiously cautionary tale that is “Gold Digger,” as well as the humorous “Drive Slow” with Wall, not to mention the breezy, harmonious confection with Levine on “Heard ‘Em Say.”

That he’s accomplished so much in such a relatively short time has, of course, worked to dispel a lot of that “depression” he speaks of. (The uproar over his Bush comments during a Hurricane Katrina benefit show didn’t hurt, either.) Of his outspokenness, West says, “People either love it or hate it. People love and hated Muhammad Ali. My grandfather loved Muhammad Ali and my grandmother hated him. But I bet you more people love and remember Muhammad Ali than less. Because he used to talk s**t – ‘Float like a butterfly, Sting like a bee’ – and I think I say the same kind of things in my own statements. It’s like, you can’t please everybody, but if anybody’s got a shot, it’s me.”

The 28-year-old hip-hop superstar’s ubiquitous single “Gold Digger” (featuring some Ray Charles-ish backing vocals from friend Jamie Foxx) has effortlessly topped pop, r&b, digital and ringtone charts, while sales of its accompanying album, Late Registration (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), exceeded two million in less than two months. With eight Grammy nominations and his name on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, you’d probably think that the artist’s ego is probably as big as his bank account.

“I’m depressed,” he says.

Uh, come again?

“It’s hard when people are depending on you to have an album that’s not just good, but inspired,” he continues, referring to the out-of-the-box success of his debut album, The College Dropout, which in addition to going triple platinum, earned Grammys for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B Song and launched the catchily meditative “Jesus Walks” into a million consciousnesses. “I mean, my music isn’t just music — it’s medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what they need. Every time I make an album, I’m trying to make a cure for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!”

Any widespread concerns about West’s being a one-trick pony were dispelled by “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” a sweeping single that preceded Late Registration by several weeks and went to the top of the charts, pumped not only by West’s impassioned vocals but also by an ingenious utilization of Shirley Bassey’s James Bond theme, “Diamonds Are Forever.”

The pop smarts were gained from years in the production booth, delivering chart-toppers for Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Ludacris and Alicia Keys. Indeed, his production work on Jay-Z’s now-classic 2001 album The Blueprint, where he drew upon such sources as the Jackson 5, the Doors and the Temptations to put across Jay’s rhymes, made him the go-to producer in hip-hop.

That success was parlayed into a recording contract, but just as things started cooking, West was involved in a near-fatal auto accident in 2002. “I have flashbacks of what happened every day,” he says. “And anytime I hear about any accident my heart sinks in and I thank God that I’m still here. I found out how short life is and how blessed you are to be here.” The experience informed both “Through the Wire,” which he performed with his jaw still wired shut, and the triumphant “Jesus Walks.”

Flash forward to 2005, and with the help of composer/producer Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann), West has delivered an album that’s sure to lead many year-end “best of” lists. In addition to Foxx and Jay-Z, Late Registration’s guest list includes Brandy, Paul Wall, Cam’ron, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and his longtime friend and collaborator John Legend.

The result is an epic in every sense, ranging from the personal to the political, from the romantic to the off-the-wall hilarious. “Crack Music,” with its one-line hook from hip-hop icon The Game, examines the effects of drugs on the black community, as does the searing “Addiction,” wherein West wonders why it is that “everything that’s supposed to be bad makes me feel so good?” On “Bring Me Down,” Brandy lends her soulful voice to West’s cynical raps like “If you ever wanted to ever be anything, there’ll always be somebody that’ll shoot down any dream.”

On the flip side, there’s the infectiously cautionary tale that is “Gold Digger,” as well as the humorous “Drive Slow” with Wall, not to mention the breezy, harmonious confection with Levine on “Heard ‘Em Say.”

That he’s accomplished so much in such a relatively short time has, of course, worked to dispel a lot of that “depression” he speaks of. (The uproar over his Bush comments during a Hurricane Katrina benefit show didn’t hurt, either.) Of his outspokenness, West says, “People either love it or hate it. People love and hated Muhammad Ali. My grandfather loved Muhammad Ali and my grandmother hated him. But I bet you more people love and remember Muhammad Ali than less. Because he used to talk s**t – ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ – and I think I say the same kind of things in my own statements. It’s like, you can’t please everybody, but if anybody’s got a shot, it’s me.”

Catch him at SXSW in Austin on Saturday, March 15, at 11:00 p.m at Lounge [117 W. 4th Street] and visit gavindegraw.com for the latest news.

Pictured at BMI's New York offices are [seated] Gavin DeGraw and BMI's Alison Smith; [standing] BMI's Brooke Primont, manager Debbie Wilson, and BMI's Charlie Feldman and J. W. Johnson.

Gavin performs at the BMI New York office

Photos by Eric Miller

But despite the early commercial success and press accolades, not long ago Carlton was on the fast track to becoming a ballet dancer, not a singer/songwriter. At the age of nine she became obsessed with dance. At 13, she began traveling to New York City from her Mitford, PA hometown to study under such ballet greats as Gelsey Kirkland and Madame Nenette Charisse. A year later she was accepted to New York's School of American Ballet.

As Carlton approached her senior year, her once promising dance aspirations began to unravel in a system she says is "neither easy nor fair." As a result, she began to play the piano and write songs.

"It was the dilapidated piano in the kitchen of my dorm that brought me solace," she recalls. "Sometimes I would skip ballet class to go upstairs and play. All these songs just poured out of me."

Music actually came to the 21-year-old Carlton early in life. After a family trip to Disneyland, a two-year-old Vanessa banged out a version of "It's a Small World" by ear on the piano. Her mother subsequently exposed her to a variety of classical composers such as Eric Satie and Mozart. At age eight, she wrote her first piece of music and continued writing music until dance began to play an increasingly large role in her life.

After graduating from dance school, she began working as waitress and performing as a singer/songwriter around New York. Interscope head Jimmy Iovine saw one of Carlton's shows and signed her to a recording deal.

"I had always loved to sing growing up, but I never thought of myself as a singer until I sang my lyrics," she says. "I put my voice and piano together and I couldn't imagine it any other way."