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			{{Short description\|American musician}}
	'''''Gordon Kennedy''' redirects here. For the actor see ]''.
			{{Use mdy dates\|date=March 2018}}
			{{Infobox musical artist
			\| honorific_prefix =
			\| name = Gordon Scott Kennedy
			\| image = Gordon Kennedy.jpg
			\| landscape = yes
			\| alt =
			\| caption = Kennedy at Backstage Nashville Live, July 2018 (photo: Andrew Orth)
			\| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
			\| birth_name = Gordon Scott Kennedy
			\| alias =
			\| birth_date = November 1959
			\| birth_place = ], ], U.S.
			\| origin = ]
			\| genre = {{hlist\|]\|]\|]\|]}}
			\| occupation = Songwriter, musician, producer
			\| instrument = Guitar, vocals
			\| years_active = 1984–present
			\| associated_acts = {{hlist\|]\|]\|]\|]\|]\|]}}
			}}

			'''Gordon Scott Kennedy''' is an American ], musician, and ] based in ], Tennessee whose most successful composition is the international hit song "]", recorded by ], for which Kennedy and his co-writers received a ] for ] (1996). Kennedy also received a Grammy for ] (2007), co-producing, composing, and performing on ]'s '']'' album. He was a member of the ] band ] for six years in the 1980s. Kennedy has written 15 songs recorded by ], and has done projects with Frampton and ]. Kennedy's songs have been recorded by artists including ], ], ], ], and ]. His compositions have been heard in the film soundtracks of '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and ]'s '']''.
	<div style="float:right;">
	]
	</div>
	'''Gordon Kennedy''' (Nov. 28, 1959) is a renowned ]. He has worked as a ], ], ], and session ]. He has collaborated with many artists including ], ], ], ], ] and others. The ]-winning song "]", was co-written by Kennedy, ] and ] for ]. The song was included in the ] for ]'s ], '']''.

			==Early life==
	He first came to prominence as the ] of ] ] ] from ] to ]. He ??attended Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri?? and also studied with fellow ] and ], ], whom he replaced in the band Whiteheart. In 1996, he and fellow songwriter/musician ] recorded one album, ''{speak}'', under the name ].
			Kennedy was born in ], but his family moved to Nashville in March 1961 when he was just over one year old. Both his parents were professional musicians who came to Nashville hoping to advance their careers. His father, ], was a guitar player in the house band of "]"<ref name="vintageguitar">{{cite web\|last1=Moseley\|first1=Willie G.\|title=Jerry and Gordon Kennedy "It's a Two-Man Collection"\|url=http://www.vintageguitar.com/3698/jerry-and-gordon-kennedy/\|website=vintageguitar.com\|publisher=Vintage Guitar Magazine\|access-date=March 2, 2018\|date=October 1, 2007}}</ref> and married Linda Brannon, Gordon's mother, who was a singer on the show with her own recording career.<ref name="motherlinda">{{cite web\|title=Linda Brannon\|url=http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=16555\|website=hillbilly-music.com\|access-date=March 4, 2018}}</ref><ref name="lindasingles">{{cite web\|title=Linda Brannon-Discography\|url=http://www.45cat.com/artist/linda-brannon\|website=45cat.com\|access-date=March 4, 2018}}</ref> After moving to Nashville, his father became successful as a session musician (member of the ]) and eventually his business acumen propelled his rise to CEO of ] (Nashville division), a job he held for 20 years.<ref name="family">{{cite magazine\|title=Country Artists and Music/Kennedy Clan (Photo caption)\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YQ8EAAAAMBAJ&q=gordon+kennedy&pg=PA27\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=February 27, 2018\|page=26\|date=May 31, 1997\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.}}</ref>

			Kennedy is the oldest of three brothers— the next is Bryan and the youngest is Shelby.<ref name="brothers">{{cite news\|title=He provides the music, guitar pitches the history\|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/225800834/?terms=%22Gordon+Kennedy%22+++guitar\|access-date=March 1, 2018\|agency=Associated Press\|publisher=St. Cloud Times (Minnesota)\|date=October 3, 1996\|page=5E}}</ref> Both Kennedy's brothers are successful in music. Bryan wrote the Garth Brooks hit, ]<ref name="barassociation">{{cite web\|title=Garth Brooks – American Honky-Tonk Bar Association / Everytime That It Rains\|url=https://www.discogs.com/Garth-Brooks-American-Honky-Tonk-Bar-Association-Everytime-That-It-Rains/release/4171812\|website=discogs.com\|year=1993 \|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> and Shelby is a music executive who has composed songs recorded by ] and ].<ref name="shelbycredits">{{cite web\|title=Shelby Kennedy/Credits\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shelby-kennedy-mn0000017484\|website=allmusic.com\|publisher=Allmusic, member of the RhythmOne group\|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> Of the brothers, Gordon took music most seriously.<ref name="brothers"/> Kennedy recalls having a jukebox in their home stocked with ] records his father had played on or produced.<ref name="vintageguitar"/> The first non-country album Kennedy owned was '']'' which he said "kind of lit a fire under me in the second grade".<ref name="brothers"/> Attending recording sessions with his father was a common occurrence for him as a youth. He said the country music his father was producing; i.e., ], ], and the ], was a major influence on him.<ref name="oldguitar">{{cite news\|last1=Patterson\|first1=Jim\|title=Old guitar is just 'a working tool'\|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/18223646/?terms=%22Gordon+Kennedy%22+++guitar\|access-date=March 1, 2018\|agency=Associated Press\|issue=317\|publisher=Daily Herald (Chicago)\|date=August 27, 1996\|page=5, Section 3}}</ref> At age 15, he received a ] for Christmas and two months later he played his first gig in a talent show with ]'s daughter, his classmate.<ref name="vintageguitar"/>
	Kennedy is the son of ] ], who played for artists of the caliber of ], ], ], and others. Growing up in this environment, he was always interested in music, but became serious about it when he was 15, when his father gave him his first electric guitar, a ].

			Kennedy attended high school at Nashville's ] where he excelled in sports. He played football, basketball and ran track; he won the regional high-jump championship in 1978.<ref name="highjump">{{cite news\|last1=Squires\|first1=Tom\|title=Regional Track Title To Overton\|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/112385711/?terms=%22gordon+Kennedy%22+++high+jump\|access-date=March 4, 2018\|issue=38\|publisher=Tennessean\|date=May 16, 1978\|volume=17\|page=19}}</ref> He was designated as the "most athletic student" his final year.<ref name="schoolyearbook">{{cite book\|title="Eagles" Brentwood Academy Yearbook\|date=1978\|publisher=Brentwood Academy\|location=Nashville}}</ref> He performed on his first recording session while still a high school student— a solo on Johnny Rodriguez' song "Run Like a Thief"<ref>{{cite web\|title=Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies/111 2-53245/Run Like a Thief/SRM-1-5003\|url=http://countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.com/2014/05/johnny-rodriguez.html\|website=countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.com\|access-date=March 6, 2018\|date=August 25, 1977}}</ref> and he performed a guitar duet with his father on "Remember Me".<ref name="rememberme">{{cite web\|last1=Ruppli\|first1=Michel\|last2=Manciotti\|first2=Mario\|last3=Pavlik\|first3=Rene\|title=Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies/Johnny Rodriquez/110 2-53244 Remember Me SRM-1-5003\|url=http://countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.com/2014/05/johnny-rodriguez.html\|website=countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.com\|publisher=Praguefrank\|access-date=March 6, 2018\|date=August 10, 1977}}</ref> Kennedy wrote his first song in the high school auditorium during his graduating year.<ref name="americansongwriter">{{cite web\|last1=Schlansky\|first1=Evan\|title=Writer Of The Week: Gordon Kennedy\|url=http://americansongwriter.com/2011/02/writer-of-the-week-gordon-kennedy/\|website=americansongwriter.com\|publisher=ForASong Media\|access-date=February 27, 2018\|date=February 7, 2011}}</ref> Another of Kennedy's Brentwood Academy classmates was guitarist and bandmate ] who was, at that time, in the early days of forging his own path to becoming a first-call session guitarist in Nashville and Los Angeles, later recording with ],<ref name="madonnahuff">{{cite web\|last1=Dunkerly\|first1=Beville\|title=Producer Profile: Dann Huff\|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/producer-profile-dann-huff-20140611\|website=rollingstone.com\|access-date=March 11, 2018\|date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,170124,00.html\|title=Emotion by Barbra Streisand @ARTISTdirect\|work=ARTISTdirect\|access-date=February 14, 2015\|archive-date=October 25, 2012\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025015901/http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,170124,00.html\|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kennedy said, "I was watching become 'that guy' and he drove me to play better".<ref name="podcast"/> Kennedy later attended ] in Nashville and during that time worked playing guitar in studios on ]. The increasing demands of recording sessions conflicted with school to the extent that he decided to drop out of Belmont his final year before receiving his degree.<ref name="podcast"/>
	Gordon Kennedy currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee and is touring with ] in support of Frampton's latest album, "Fingerprints", which he co-produced. He also co-wrote several songs on the album, as well as on Frampton's previous release "Now".

	==~~External~~ ~~links~~==		== Career ==
			===White Heart===
	*
			In 1984 Kennedy joined the Christian rock band ]. The six-member group was formed two years earlier by ] and ] who were members of ] and the ].<ref>{{cite news\|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1xc0AAAAIBAJ&pg=2829,1601945&dq=dann-huff&hl=en\|title=White Heart Beats\|last=Rosenthal\|first=Traja\|date=March 14, 1987\|work=]\|page=5\|access-date=March 13, 2018\|location=Lodi, California , USA}}</ref> Other original members included Kennedy's high school friend, Dann Huff and Dann's brother, drummer ]. Dann Huff left the group in 1984 and recommended that Kennedy be his replacement. Kennedy was in the band for six years. White Heart remained in existence for a total of 17 years and released 13 studio albums with many personnel changes over that time.<ref name="whiteheartdiscography">{{cite web\|title=WhiteHeart/Discography\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/whiteheart-mn0000821185/discography\|website=allmusic.com\|publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group\|access-date=March 7, 2018}}</ref> Music historian ] said, "The group had great musicians; many of them played studio sessions in Nashville, and the talent of the individual members is evident from their post-White Heart success".<ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite book\|last1=Don Cusic\|first1=Ed.\|title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian music : Pop, Rock, and Worship\|date=2010\|publisher=Greenwood Press\|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.\|isbn=978-0-313-34425-1\|pages=460–461\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3jqjSKHKcwC&q=p.+461&pg=PA461\|access-date=February 28, 2018}}</ref> Dann Huff became an award-winning guitarist and producer; ] joined ]'s touring band; Kennedy founded the group ]<ref name="encyclopedia"/> In 2010, White Heart was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.<ref name="christianhallfame">{{cite web\|title=Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum/Inductees/2010/WhiteHeart\|url=http://www.hallmuseum.com:80/induction.htm\|website=hallmuseum.com\|access-date=March 7, 2018\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126164740/http://www.hallmuseum.com/induction.htm\|archive-date=January 26, 2010\|url-status=dead}}</ref>

			===Dogs of Peace===
	]
			Kennedy recalled that songwriting began to click for him about 1991 when he began co-writing with his friend, ].<ref name="americansongwriter"/>
			Dogs of Peace formed in 1995, consisting of Kennedy, ], Blair Masters, and John Hammond, with Jeff Balding as engineer. Reviewer Chris Smith described their music as "90s alt/rock feel with some classic rock elements with many comparisons to ]".<ref name="dogsreview">{{cite web\|last1=Weaver\|first1=Michael\|title=Dogs of Peace/Review\|url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Heel.asp\|website=jesusfreakhideout.com\|access-date=March 8, 2018\|date=April 15, 2016}}</ref> Their first album, ''Speak'', was released in 1996.<ref name="dogsofpeace">{{cite web\|last1=Sparkman\|first1=Kevin\|title=Dogs Of Peace – 'Heel' album review\|url=https://www.ccmmagazine.com/reviews/dogs-of-peace-heel-album-review/\|website=ccmmagazine.com\|publisher=CCM Magazine: a division of Salem Communications\|access-date=February 28, 2018\|date=April 26, 2016}}</ref> Twenty years later, in 2016, Kennedy, Sloas, Masters, Hammond and Balding reunited for a second album called ''Heel''.<ref name="lightoftheworld"/>

			===Garth Brooks, Ricky Skaggs, Peter Frampton===
			Kennedy spent the mid-1990s composing songs and honing his skills as a session guitarist, primarily for contemporary Christian artists like ], ], ], ] and ] (aka Pray for Rain).{{efn\|PFR abandoned the name "Pray for Rain" and changed it to "PFR" because of a conflict with a ] band called "Pray for Rain".<ref name="nameprayforrain">{{cite web\|last1=Granger\|first1=Thom\|title=PFR/Pray for Rain/Overview\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pray-for-rain-mw0000084768\|website=allmusic.com\|publisher=AllMusic, a member of the RhythmOne group\|access-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref>}} Kennedy co-wrote "]" recorded by Garth Brooks which reached No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' Country Airplay Chart in 1998.<ref name="youmoveme">{{cite web\|title=Garth Brooks/Chart History/Country Airplay\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/garth-brooks/chart-history/csa/\|website=billboard.com\|access-date=March 7, 2018}}</ref> Brooks subsequently recorded ten more of Kennedy's songs on his alter-ego album, '']'' which reached No. 2 on the ] chart.<ref name="billboardbrooks">{{cite web\|title=Garth Brooks/Chart History/Billboard 200\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/garth-brooks/chart-history/tlp/\|website=billboard.com\|access-date=March 5, 2018}}</ref> As of 2018, Kennedy has written or co-written 15 songs recorded by Brooks.

			In 2010, ], trying a new sound and a new source of material, recorded ''Mosaic'', an album with all 13 songs written or co-written by Kennedy.<ref name="mosaicoverview">{{cite web\|last1=Leggett\|first1=Steve\|title=Ricky Skaggs/Mosaic/Overview\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mosaic-mw0002014746\|website=allmusic.com\|publisher=AllMusic, a member of the RhythmOne group\|access-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref> NPR reviewer Ken Tucker stated, "Something in the chemistry that occurs in mixing Gordon Kennedy's melodies, the Christian imagery of the lyrics and the surging vocals results in music that is both vivid and thoughtful."<ref name="nprmosaic">{{cite web\|last1=Tucker\|first1=Ken\|title=Ricky Skaggs: A 'Mosaic' Of Modesty, Openness\|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129664080NPR\|website=npr.org\|publisher=NPR\|access-date=March 5, 2018\|date=September 14, 2010}}</ref> It was a break from the past for Skaggs who has said that he felt something of ] influence in Kennedy's music.<ref name="nprmosaic"/> The album received two Grammy nominations.<ref name="podcast">{{cite web\|last1=Bomar\|first1=Scott B.\|last2=Duncan\|first2=Paul\|title=Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters Podcast/Ep. 44-Gordon Kennedy\|url=http://www.songcraftshow.com/gordon_kennedy\|website=songcraftshow.com\|publisher=Songcraft\|access-date=February 28, 2018\|archive-date=March 1, 2018\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301104121/http://www.songcraftshow.com/gordon_kennedy\|url-status=dead}}</ref> Peter Frampton made a guest appearance on the album with the song, "My Cup Runneth Over".<ref name="mosaicoverview"/>

			In 1999, at a meeting suggested by mutual friends, Kennedy was invited to Peter Frampton's home which was convenient since they both lived in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood.<ref name="podcast"/> They developed a friendship and decided to write together eventually leading to Frampton's album '']'' for which Kennedy co-wrote eight songs.<ref name="nowcredits">{{cite web\|title=Peter Frampton/Now/Track Listing\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/now-mw0000315321\|website=allmusic.com\|publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group\|access-date=March 5, 2018}}</ref> Their collaboration continued, leading to Kennedy's co-producing, composing, and performing on Frampton's album, '']'' <ref name="fingerprintsallmusic">{{cite web\|title=Peter Frampton/Fingerprints/Credits\|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/fingerprints-mw0000442776/credits\|website=allmusic.com\|publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group\|access-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref> which won a Grammy for ].{{efn\|The award, "Best Pop Instrumental Album", was renamed by The Recording Academy in 2014 to be called "Best Contemporary Instrumental Album".<ref name="awardchange">{{cite web\|title=The Recording Academy Announces GRAMMY Awards Process Changes\|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/recording-academy-announces-grammy-awards-process-changes\|website=grammy.com\|publisher=The Recording Academy\|access-date=April 14, 2018\|date=December 2, 2014}}</ref>}}<ref name="framptongrammy">{{cite web\|title=Frampton comes alive at Grammys for first time\|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-grammys-frampton/frampton-comes-alive-at-grammys-for-first-time-idUSN1131534020070212\|website=reuters.com\|publisher=Thomson Reuters\|access-date=March 8, 2018\|date=February 11, 2007}}</ref> (Kennedy's Grammy was for co-producing.) The album featured guest artists including members of ], ], and the ]. On the album, Kennedy was featured on the song "Float".<ref name="fingerprintsvinyl">{{cite web\|title=Peter Frampton releasing Grammy-winning 2006 album "Fingerprints" on vinyl for first time\|url=http://95kqds.com/news/articles/2017/nov/17/peter-frampton-releasing-grammy-winning-2006-album-fingerprints-on-vinyl-for-first-time/\|website=95kqds.com\|publisher=ABC Radio\|access-date=March 8, 2018\|date=November 17, 2017\|archive-date=March 9, 2018\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309120241/http://95kqds.com/news/articles/2017/nov/17/peter-frampton-releasing-grammy-winning-2006-album-fingerprints-on-vinyl-for-first-time/\|url-status=dead}}</ref> In nearly 20 years of friendship, Kennedy remains Frampton's collaborator and performs with him often on tour.<ref name="podcast"/> As of 2017, Kennedy has composed for or recorded with ] (five songs, including "Gypsy in Me"),<ref name="gypsyinme">{{cite web\|last1=Polanco\|first1=Luis\|title=Bonnie Raitt Hits the Road in First-Ever Lyric Video 'Gypsy In Me': Exclusive Premiere\|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6835273/bonnie-raitt-gypsy-in-me-lyric-video-exclusive\|website=billboard.com\|access-date=March 10, 2018\|date=January 6, 2016}}</ref> ], ], ], ], ], ], ] ("]"), ] ("The More Boys I Meet"), and others.<ref name="lightoftheworld">{{cite web\|last1=Davis\|first1=Kevin\|title=#725 - "He's the Light of the World" by Dogs of Peace\|url=http://www.newreleasetoday.com/article.php?article_id=1779\|website=newsreleasetoday.com\|publisher=NRT Media\|access-date=March 5, 2018}}</ref><ref name="othercredits">{{cite web\|title=Gordon Kennedy/Credits\|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/425327-Gordon-Kennedy?filter_anv=0&type=Credits\|website=discogs\|publisher=Discogs.com\|access-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref>

			==="Change the World"===
			The enduring worldwide hit song, "Change the World", earned Kennedy a Grammy for "Song of the Year" in 1996.<ref name="grammy1996">{{cite web\|title=The 39th Annual Grammy Awards\|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/winners-nominees/140\|website=grammy.com\|publisher=Recording Academy\|access-date=February 28, 2018}}</ref> The song was first recorded in 1995 by ] and later ] through the release of the ] film, '']'', in mid-1996. Clapton's version, produced by ], spent 81 weeks on ''Billboard''{{'}}s adult contemporary chart, with 13 weeks at {{abbr\|No.\|Number}}1. Clapton and Edmonds performed the song at the ] in 1996, where the song won "Record of the Year", "Song of the Year", and "Best male Pop Vocal Performance".<ref name="grammy39">{{cite web\|title=39th Annual Grammy Awards (1996)/Winners\|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/39th-annual-grammy-awards\|website=grammy.com\|publisher=Recording Academy\|access-date=March 7, 2018\|date=2017-11-28}}</ref><ref name="songfacts">{{cite web\|title=Change the World\|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1374\|website=songfacts.com\|publisher=Songfacts LLC\|access-date=March 7, 2018}}</ref>

			Kennedy wrote the song with two collaborators: the first was ], bassist, songwriter, producer and former White Heart bandmate who later recorded and sang with ] on "]" which won an ] for "Best Song"; the second was ], a prolific Nashville songwriter who was nominated for a ] for the ] '']'' <ref>{{Cite web\|title = The Tony Award Nominees - Artists\|url = http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/artists/EBD43CED-A149-E275-5EB7A939BDDB3A23.html\|website = TonyAwards.com\|access-date = March 14, 2018\|archive-date = March 15, 2018\|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180315133643/http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/artists/EBD43CED-A149-E275-5EB7A939BDDB3A23.html\|url-status = dead}}</ref>

			In a recorded interview with ''Songcraft'', Kennedy gave his recollection of how the three men worked together to create the song:<ref name="podcast"/> In 1991, during some downtime at a recording session, ] gave a title and played a ] for Kennedy and ] and asked if they thought it was something their group could use for a pending record contract. About a month later, Kirkpatrick asked Sims to restate that idea on tape; Kirkpatrick then created the lyric for the chorus and all but one line of the second verse. The song lay dormant several months, until Kennedy asked for a tape of the song's current state, then finished the tune to the extent he thought was enough to make a demo. Kennedy then drove from Nashville to Columbus, Ohio, to see Sims, who was recording there. They made a tape on a ] microphone, creating drum sounds by using mouth and breath noises. On Kennedy's drive back to Nashville he listened to it and finished the first verse and Kirkpatrick's missing line of the second verse, dictating into a hand-held recorder. Once home, he remade the demo singing all the vocals over an acoustic guitar part— this about one year after the original riff, and that was the demo that Clapton heard.<ref name="podcast"/> Clapton told ''Mojo'' Magazine in May 2003, "When I heard Tommy Sims' demo, I could hear ] doing that ..."<ref name="songfacts"/> Clapton later learned that it was Kennedy who sang the demo.

			==Personal life==
			Kennedy enjoys performing in a Beatles tribute band called "Mystery Trip" which includes veteran professionals like Frampton's keyboardist, Rob Arthur; "]" tour player Saul Zonana; and Steve Allen of ]<ref name="scenebeatband">{{cite web\|last1=Ridley\|first1=Jim\|title=Mystery Trip at Third and Lindsley/Meet the Re-Beatles\|url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts-culture/article/13018233/mystery-trip-at-third-and-lindsley\|website=nashvillescene.com\|publisher=The Nashville Scene\|access-date=March 10, 2018\|date=June 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="tributeband">{{cite news\|title=Mystery Trip: A Beatles Tribute At Arts Center Jan. 22\|url=http://www.cannoncourier.com/mystery-trip-a-beatles-tribute-at-arts-center-jan-22-cms-1437\|access-date=March 10, 2018\|publisher=The Cannon Courrier (Tennessee)\|date=January 7, 2010}}</ref> He participates in songwriter workshops and gives master classes on songwriting including college campuses.<ref name="masterclass">{{cite web\|title=Gordon Kennedy Master Class\|url=https://www.snow.edu/academics/fineart/music/gordon_kennedy.html\|website=snow.edu\|publisher=Snow College\|access-date=March 2, 2018\|date=September 21, 2017}}</ref>
			Kennedy served on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Nashville Chapter) and on Belmont University's advisory board. He also was a member of the Brentwood Academy Board of Trustees from 2006 until 2010.<ref name="brentwoodboard">{{cite news\|title=Business/People/Brentwood Academy Board of Trustees\|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17991140/\|access-date=March 4, 2018\|publisher=Tennessean\|date=October 5, 2006\|page=5E}}</ref> In 1997 Kennedy was inducted into the Southern Songwriters Guild Hall of Fame.<ref name="guildhall">{{cite news\|title=Guild to Induct Hall of Famers\|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17950815/\|access-date=March 3, 2018\|publisher=The Times (Shreveport)\|date=June 6, 1997\|page=2D}}{{Subscription required \|via=]}}</ref>

			== Notes ==
			{{notelist}}

			==References==
			{{Reflist}}

			{{White Heart}}
			{{Grammy Award for Song of the Year 1990s}}

			==External links==
			* NAMM Oral History Library (2021)

			{{Authority control}}

			{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Gordon}}
	{{singer-stub}}
			]
	{{songwriter-stub}}
			]
	{{music-producer-stub}}
			]
	{{guitarist-stub}}
			]
	{{Christian-music-stub}}
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]
			]

Latest revision as of 00:59, 14 June 2024

American musician

Gordon Scott Kennedy
Kennedy at Backstage Nashville Live, July 2018 (photo: Andrew Orth)
Background information
Birth name	Gordon Scott Kennedy
Born	November 1959 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Origin	Nashville
Genres	Christian rock pop country bluegrass
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, musician, producer
Instrument(s)	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1984–present

Musical artist

Gordon Scott Kennedy is an American songwriter, musician, and record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee whose most successful composition is the international hit song "Change the World", recorded by Eric Clapton, for which Kennedy and his co-writers received a Grammy Award for Song of the Year (1996). Kennedy also received a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album (2007), co-producing, composing, and performing on Peter Frampton's Fingerprints album. He was a member of the Christian rock band White Heart for six years in the 1980s. Kennedy has written 15 songs recorded by Garth Brooks, and has done projects with Frampton and Ricky Skaggs. Kennedy's songs have been recorded by artists including Bonnie Raitt, Alison Krauss, Stevie Nicks, Faith Hill, and Carrie Underwood. His compositions have been heard in the film soundtracks of Tin Cup, For Love of the Game, Where the Heart Is, Almost Famous, Summer Catch, Someone Like You, The Banger Sisters, Phenomenon and Disney's The Fox and the Hound 2.

Early life

Kennedy was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, but his family moved to Nashville in March 1961 when he was just over one year old. Both his parents were professional musicians who came to Nashville hoping to advance their careers. His father, Jerry Kennedy, was a guitar player in the house band of "Louisiana Hayride" and married Linda Brannon, Gordon's mother, who was a singer on the show with her own recording career. After moving to Nashville, his father became successful as a session musician (member of the Musicians Hall of Fame/A-team) and eventually his business acumen propelled his rise to CEO of Mercury Records (Nashville division), a job he held for 20 years.

Kennedy is the oldest of three brothers— the next is Bryan and the youngest is Shelby. Both Kennedy's brothers are successful in music. Bryan wrote the Garth Brooks hit, American Honky-Tonk Bar Association and Shelby is a music executive who has composed songs recorded by Reba McEntire and Ray Charles. Of the brothers, Gordon took music most seriously. Kennedy recalls having a jukebox in their home stocked with 45 rpm records his father had played on or produced. The first non-country album Kennedy owned was Meet the Beatles! which he said "kind of lit a fire under me in the second grade". Attending recording sessions with his father was a common occurrence for him as a youth. He said the country music his father was producing; i.e., Roger Miller, Johnny Rodriguez, and the Statler Brothers, was a major influence on him. At age 15, he received a Fender Telecaster for Christmas and two months later he played his first gig in a talent show with Jerry Reed's daughter, his classmate.

Kennedy attended high school at Nashville's Brentwood Academy where he excelled in sports. He played football, basketball and ran track; he won the regional high-jump championship in 1978. He was designated as the "most athletic student" his final year. He performed on his first recording session while still a high school student— a solo on Johnny Rodriguez' song "Run Like a Thief" and he performed a guitar duet with his father on "Remember Me". Kennedy wrote his first song in the high school auditorium during his graduating year. Another of Kennedy's Brentwood Academy classmates was guitarist and bandmate Dann Huff who was, at that time, in the early days of forging his own path to becoming a first-call session guitarist in Nashville and Los Angeles, later recording with Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Barbra Streisand. Kennedy said, "I was watching become 'that guy' and he drove me to play better". Kennedy later attended Belmont University in Nashville and during that time worked playing guitar in studios on music row. The increasing demands of recording sessions conflicted with school to the extent that he decided to drop out of Belmont his final year before receiving his degree.

Career

White Heart

In 1984 Kennedy joined the Christian rock band White Heart. The six-member group was formed two years earlier by Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl who were members of Bill Gaither and the New Gaither Vocal Band. Other original members included Kennedy's high school friend, Dann Huff and Dann's brother, drummer David Huff. Dann Huff left the group in 1984 and recommended that Kennedy be his replacement. Kennedy was in the band for six years. White Heart remained in existence for a total of 17 years and released 13 studio albums with many personnel changes over that time. Music historian Don Cusic said, "The group had great musicians; many of them played studio sessions in Nashville, and the talent of the individual members is evident from their post-White Heart success". Dann Huff became an award-winning guitarist and producer; Tommy Simms joined Bruce Springsteen's touring band; Kennedy founded the group Dogs of Peace In 2010, White Heart was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.

Dogs of Peace

Kennedy recalled that songwriting began to click for him about 1991 when he began co-writing with his friend, Wayne Kirkpatrick. Dogs of Peace formed in 1995, consisting of Kennedy, Jimmie Sloas, Blair Masters, and John Hammond, with Jeff Balding as engineer. Reviewer Chris Smith described their music as "90s alt/rock feel with some classic rock elements with many comparisons to Pink Floyd". Their first album, Speak, was released in 1996. Twenty years later, in 2016, Kennedy, Sloas, Masters, Hammond and Balding reunited for a second album called Heel.

Garth Brooks, Ricky Skaggs, Peter Frampton

Kennedy spent the mid-1990s composing songs and honing his skills as a session guitarist, primarily for contemporary Christian artists like Amy Grant, Twila Paris, Susan Ashton, Steven Curtis Chapman and PFR (aka Pray for Rain). Kennedy co-wrote "You Move Me" recorded by Garth Brooks which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart in 1998. Brooks subsequently recorded ten more of Kennedy's songs on his alter-ego album, The Life of Chris Gaines which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. As of 2018, Kennedy has written or co-written 15 songs recorded by Brooks.

In 2010, Ricky Skaggs, trying a new sound and a new source of material, recorded Mosaic, an album with all 13 songs written or co-written by Kennedy. NPR reviewer Ken Tucker stated, "Something in the chemistry that occurs in mixing Gordon Kennedy's melodies, the Christian imagery of the lyrics and the surging vocals results in music that is both vivid and thoughtful." It was a break from the past for Skaggs who has said that he felt something of the Beatles influence in Kennedy's music. The album received two Grammy nominations. Peter Frampton made a guest appearance on the album with the song, "My Cup Runneth Over".

In 1999, at a meeting suggested by mutual friends, Kennedy was invited to Peter Frampton's home which was convenient since they both lived in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood. They developed a friendship and decided to write together eventually leading to Frampton's album Now for which Kennedy co-wrote eight songs. Their collaboration continued, leading to Kennedy's co-producing, composing, and performing on Frampton's album, Fingerprints which won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. (Kennedy's Grammy was for co-producing.) The album featured guest artists including members of the Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, and the Allman Brothers. On the album, Kennedy was featured on the song "Float". In nearly 20 years of friendship, Kennedy remains Frampton's collaborator and performs with him often on tour. As of 2017, Kennedy has composed for or recorded with Bonnie Raitt (five songs, including "Gypsy in Me"), Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Wynonna, Charlie Daniels, Trisha Yearwood, George Strait, Faith Hill ("It Will Be Me"), Carrie Underwood ("The More Boys I Meet"), and others.

"Change the World"

The enduring worldwide hit song, "Change the World", earned Kennedy a Grammy for "Song of the Year" in 1996. The song was first recorded in 1995 by Wynonna Judd and later Eric Clapton through the release of the John Travolta film, Phenomenon, in mid-1996. Clapton's version, produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, spent 81 weeks on Billboard's adult contemporary chart, with 13 weeks at No.1. Clapton and Edmonds performed the song at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards Show in 1996, where the song won "Record of the Year", "Song of the Year", and "Best male Pop Vocal Performance".

Kennedy wrote the song with two collaborators: the first was Tommy Sims, bassist, songwriter, producer and former White Heart bandmate who later recorded and sang with Bruce Springsteen on "Streets of Philadelphia" which won an Academy Award for "Best Song"; the second was Wayne Kirkpatrick, a prolific Nashville songwriter who was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score for the Broadway musical Something Rotten!

In a recorded interview with Songcraft, Kennedy gave his recollection of how the three men worked together to create the song: In 1991, during some downtime at a recording session, Tommy Sims gave a title and played a riff for Kennedy and Wayne Kirkpatrick and asked if they thought it was something their group could use for a pending record contract. About a month later, Kirkpatrick asked Sims to restate that idea on tape; Kirkpatrick then created the lyric for the chorus and all but one line of the second verse. The song lay dormant several months, until Kennedy asked for a tape of the song's current state, then finished the tune to the extent he thought was enough to make a demo. Kennedy then drove from Nashville to Columbus, Ohio, to see Sims, who was recording there. They made a tape on a Shure 57 microphone, creating drum sounds by using mouth and breath noises. On Kennedy's drive back to Nashville he listened to it and finished the first verse and Kirkpatrick's missing line of the second verse, dictating into a hand-held recorder. Once home, he remade the demo singing all the vocals over an acoustic guitar part— this about one year after the original riff, and that was the demo that Clapton heard. Clapton told Mojo Magazine in May 2003, "When I heard Tommy Sims' demo, I could hear McCartney doing that ..." Clapton later learned that it was Kennedy who sang the demo.

Personal life

Kennedy enjoys performing in a Beatles tribute band called "Mystery Trip" which includes veteran professionals like Frampton's keyboardist, Rob Arthur; "Crash Test Dummies" tour player Saul Zonana; and Steve Allen of 20/20 He participates in songwriter workshops and gives master classes on songwriting including college campuses. Kennedy served on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Nashville Chapter) and on Belmont University's advisory board. He also was a member of the Brentwood Academy Board of Trustees from 2006 until 2010. In 1997 Kennedy was inducted into the Southern Songwriters Guild Hall of Fame.

Notes

PFR abandoned the name "Pray for Rain" and changed it to "PFR" because of a conflict with a California sound track group band called "Pray for Rain".
The award, "Best Pop Instrumental Album", was renamed by The Recording Academy in 2014 to be called "Best Contemporary Instrumental Album".

References

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^ "He provides the music, guitar pitches the history". St. Cloud Times (Minnesota). Associated Press. October 3, 1996. p. 5E. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
"Garth Brooks – American Honky-Tonk Bar Association / Everytime That It Rains". discogs.com. 1993. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
"Shelby Kennedy/Credits". allmusic.com. Allmusic, member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
Patterson, Jim (August 27, 1996). "Old guitar is just 'a working tool'". No. 317. Daily Herald (Chicago). Associated Press. p. 5, Section 3. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
Squires, Tom (May 16, 1978). "Regional Track Title To Overton". Vol. 17, no. 38. Tennessean. p. 19. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
"Eagles" Brentwood Academy Yearbook. Nashville: Brentwood Academy. 1978.
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Ruppli, Michel; Manciotti, Mario; Pavlik, Rene (August 10, 1977). "Praguefrank's Country Music Discographies/Johnny Rodriquez/110 2-53244 Remember Me SRM-1-5003". countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.com. Praguefrank. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
^ Schlansky, Evan (February 7, 2011). "Writer Of The Week: Gordon Kennedy". americansongwriter.com. ForASong Media. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
Dunkerly, Beville (June 11, 2014). "Producer Profile: Dann Huff". rollingstone.com. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
"Emotion by Barbra Streisand @ARTISTdirect". ARTISTdirect. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
^ Bomar, Scott B.; Duncan, Paul. "Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters Podcast/Ep. 44-Gordon Kennedy". songcraftshow.com. Songcraft. Archived from the original on March 1, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
Rosenthal, Traja (March 14, 1987). "White Heart Beats". Lodi News-Sentinel. Lodi, California , USA. p. 5. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
"WhiteHeart/Discography". allmusic.com. AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
^ Don Cusic, Ed. (2010). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian music : Pop, Rock, and Worship. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood Press. pp. 460–461. ISBN 978-0-313-34425-1. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
"Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum/Inductees/2010/WhiteHeart". hallmuseum.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2010. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
Weaver, Michael (April 15, 2016). "Dogs of Peace/Review". jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
Sparkman, Kevin (April 26, 2016). "Dogs Of Peace – 'Heel' album review". ccmmagazine.com. CCM Magazine: a division of Salem Communications. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
^ Davis, Kevin. "#725 - "He's the Light of the World" by Dogs of Peace". newsreleasetoday.com. NRT Media. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
Granger, Thom. "PFR/Pray for Rain/Overview". allmusic.com. AllMusic, a member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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^ Leggett, Steve. "Ricky Skaggs/Mosaic/Overview". allmusic.com. AllMusic, a member of the RhythmOne group. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
^ Tucker, Ken (September 14, 2010). "Ricky Skaggs: A 'Mosaic' Of Modesty, Openness". npr.org. NPR. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
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"Gordon Kennedy/Credits". discogs. Discogs.com. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
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"39th Annual Grammy Awards (1996)/Winners". grammy.com. Recording Academy. November 28, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
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"The Tony Award Nominees - Artists". TonyAwards.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
Ridley, Jim (June 11, 2009). "Mystery Trip at Third and Lindsley/Meet the Re-Beatles". nashvillescene.com. The Nashville Scene. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
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"Gordon Kennedy Master Class". snow.edu. Snow College. September 21, 2017. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
"Business/People/Brentwood Academy Board of Trustees". Tennessean. October 5, 2006. p. 5E. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
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v t e White Heart
Steve Green Dann Huff David Huff Billy Smiley Scott Douglas Gordon Kennedy Gary Lunn Tommy Sims Rick Florian Chris McHugh Anthony Sallee Brian Wooten Mark Gersmehl Mark Nemer Jon Knox John Thorn Kevin Mills Scott Bernard
Studio albums	White Heart (1982) Vital Signs (1984) Hotline (1985) Don't Wait for the Movie (1986) Emergency Broadcast (1987) Freedom (1989) Powerhouse (1990) Tales of Wonder (1992) Highlands (1993) Inside (1995) Redemption (1997)
Compilation albums	Nothing But the Best: Radio Classics (1994)
Related	Discography

v t e Grammy Award for Song of the Year
1950s	"Nel blu, dipinto di blu (Volare)" – Domenico Modugno (songwriter) (1958) "The Battle of New Orleans" – Jimmy Driftwood (songwriter) (1959)
1960s	"Theme of Exodus" – Ernest Gold (songwriter) (1960) "Moon River" – Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini (songwriters) (1961) "What Kind of Fool Am I?" – Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley (songwriters) (1962) "Days of Wine and Roses" – Johnny Mercer & Henry Mancini (songwriters) (1963) "Hello, Dolly!" – Jerry Herman (songwriter) (1964) "The Shadow of Your Smile" – Paul Francis Webster & Johnny Mandel (songwriters) (1965) "Michelle" – John Lennon & Paul McCartney (songwriters) (1966) "Up, Up, and Away" – Jimmy Webb (songwriter) (1967) "Little Green Apples" – Bobby Russell (songwriter) (1968) "Games People Play" – Joe South (songwriter) (1969)
1970s	"Bridge over Troubled Water" – Paul Simon (songwriter) (1970) "You've Got a Friend" – Carole King (songwriter) (1971) "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – Ewan MacColl (songwriter) (1972) "Killing Me Softly with His Song" – Norman Gimbel & Charles Fox (songwriters) (1973) "The Way We Were" – Alan and Marilyn Bergman & Marvin Hamlisch (songwriters) (1974) "Send In the Clowns" – Stephen Sondheim (songwriter) (1975) "I Write the Songs" – Bruce Johnston (songwriter) (1976) "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" – Barbra Streisand & Paul Williams (songwriters) / "You Light Up My Life" – Joe Brooks (songwriter) (1977) "Just the Way You Are" – Billy Joel (songwriter) (1978) "What a Fool Believes" – Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald (songwriters) (1979)
1980s	"Sailing" – Christopher Cross (songwriter) (1980) "Bette Davis Eyes" – Donna Weiss & Jackie DeShannon (songwriters) (1981) "Always on My Mind" – Johnny Christopher, Mark James & Wayne Carson (songwriters) (1982) "Every Breath You Take" – Sting (songwriter) (1983) "What's Love Got to Do with It" – Graham Lyle & Terry Britten (songwriters) (1984) "We Are the World" – Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie (songwriters) (1985) "That's What Friends Are For" – Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager (songwriters) (1986) "Somewhere Out There" – James Horner, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (songwriters) (1987) "Don't Worry, Be Happy" – Bobby McFerrin (songwriter) (1988) "Wind Beneath My Wings" – Larry Henley & Jeff Silbar (songwriters) (1989)
1990s	"From a Distance" – Julie Gold (songwriter) (1990) "Unforgettable" – Irving Gordon (songwriter) (1991) "Tears in Heaven" – Eric Clapton & Will Jennings (songwriters) (1992) "A Whole New World" – Alan Menken & Tim Rice (songwriters) (1993) "Streets of Philadelphia" – Bruce Springsteen (songwriter) (1994) "Kiss from a Rose" – Seal (songwriter) (1995) "Change the World" – Gordon Kennedy, Wayne Kirkpatrick & Tommy Sims (songwriters) (1996) "Sunny Came Home" – Shawn Colvin & John Leventhal (songwriters) (1997) "My Heart Will Go On" – James Horner & Will Jennings (songwriters) (1998) "Smooth" – Itaal Shur & Rob Thomas (songwriters) (1999)
2000s	"Beautiful Day" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen & Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2000) "Fallin'" – Alicia Keys (songwriter) (2001) "Don't Know Why" – Jesse Harris (songwriter) (2002) "Dance with My Father" – Richard Marx & Luther Vandross (songwriters) (2003) "Daughters" – John Mayer (songwriter) (2004) "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen & Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2005) "Not Ready to Make Nice" – Emily Burns Erwin, Martha Maguire, Natalie Maines Pasdar & Dan Wilson (songwriters) (2006) "Rehab" – Amy Winehouse (songwriter) (2007) "Viva la Vida" – Guy Berryman, Jonathan Buckland, William Champion & Christopher Martin (songwriters) (2008) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart (songwriters) (2009)
2010s	"Need You Now" – Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott (songwriters) (2010) "Rolling in the Deep" – Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth (songwriters) (2011) "We Are Young" – Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess (songwriters) (2012) "Royals" – Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor (songwriters) (2013) "Stay with Me" (Darkchild version) – James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith (songwriters) (2014) "Thinking Out Loud" – Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge (songwriters) (2015) "Hello" – Adele Adkins & Greg Kurstin (songwriters) (2016) "That's What I Like" – Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip (songwriters) (2017) "This Is America" – Donald Glover, Ludwig Göransson & Jeffery Lamar Williams (songwriters) (2018) "Bad Guy" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell (songwriters) (2019)
2020s	"I Can't Breathe" – Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas (songwriters) (2020) "Leave the Door Open" – Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II & Bruno Mars (songwriters) (2021) "Just Like That" – Bonnie Raitt (songwriter) (2022) "What Was I Made For?" – Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell (songwriters) (2023)

External links

Gordon Kennedy Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2021)

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