New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Siren Songs (the brand-new musical collaboration between Merideth Kaye Clark and Jenn Grinels) is set to release its first album, the eponymous
Siren Songs, on May 29, 2020. Recorded by
David Streit at The Hallowed Halls (Portland, OR) and Bryan Daste at
Dream Tree Studios NW (Portland, OR), the album features a mix of both original songs written by Grinels ("Goodnight Sun, Hello Moon," "100," and "Gray") as well as a selection of folk and Americana favorites ("Jolene," "Edelweiss," "Chelsea Morning," "Angel from Montgomery," "For Good," "
Time After Time"). Powerhouse vocalists, musicians, and national touring artists, the longtime best friends showcase gorgeous harmonies and unique arrangements performed on a variety of stringed instruments (banjo, dulcimer, viola) on
Siren Songs. The duo plans to release three singles in advance of the album - one original and two covers: "Goodnight Sun/Hello Moon," "Edelweiss," and "Time After Time."
"We were inspired by capturing the natural, raw chemistry that happens when we sing together so we decided to just set up a couple of mics and recorded everything as live as possible - and it just worked," says Grinels.
Inspired by artists as varied as Indigo Girls,
Simon & Garfunkel, Eva Cassidy, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon, the duo has been best friends for many years, and both Grinels and Clark call Portland, OR home now. When they found themselves living in different cities and touring to different places, they kept their friendship alive by meeting each other on the road when their schedules would allow. "When I look at her, I'm happy," says Clark. "When I'm up there with Jenn, I feel protected and in safe hands." Grinels echoes the sentiment, saying, "It feels easy, and it's joyful, and it's just right." After performing together for years now, the pair created
Siren Songs to make good music as best friends. "From the beginning, it's been the most effortless musical collaboration," says Grinels. "And the universe has continued to beat the drum of symbiosis as the project marches on."
Their cover of Dolly Parton's classic "Jolene," imagined with a kick in the pants and a banjo, received some very high praise when the song was selected by Parton herself and Netflix as the favorite rendition during the #JoleneChallenge. The #JoleneChallenge was born when Parton and
Julianne Hough (who was portraying the character of Jolene in the Netflix series "
Heartstrings" last year) issued a challenge for fans to present their best rendition of the classic song. When they heard the news that their song had been selected, Clark "wept tears of joy," while Grinels added, "When I learned that Dolly Pardon LOVED our rendition - yes, in all caps - I was stunned!"
Siren Songs is planning three album release shows, including: May 23rd at the Columbia Theatre in Longview, WA; May 29th at The Old Church in Portland, OR; and May 30th at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, OR. (All shows subject to possible rescheduling due to COVID-19.)
About Jenn Grinels:
An award-winning songwriter, Grinels has spent the past decade performing her original music on the road, touring with 10,000 Maniacs,
Christopher Cross, Marc Cohn, Edwin McCain, and Marc Broussard, and sharing stages with Howie Day, Dar Williams, Berlin,
Kevin Bacon & The Bacon Brothers, Rhett Miller, Carbon Leaf, Tony Lucca, Brendan James, The BoDeans, and many more. She has also headlined concerts from coast to coast and abroad. As an independent artist, Grinels has built a large, grassroots following and sold over 20,000 albums. Last year, she was commissioned to compose a musical for B-Side Theatricals in NYC. "Goodnight Sun, Hello Moon" is the first release from the score. Her music can be heard on television and in film. Grinels dove headfirst into musical theatre and was in rehearsals and shows as early as 5 years old. Later, she found joy in writing music, particularly her own, both in a band setting and as a solo artist. "Performing gave me the greatest sense of fulfillment," Grinels says. "I've always felt like this is who I am, and like this is what I was supposed to do since I was 3 years old."
About Merideth Kaye Clark:
Clark is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, as well as an accomplished leading lady in theater. She has played definitive roles nationwide, such as Elphaba in the national touring company of "
Wicked" for three years, as well as Eva Perón in "Evita," Nancy in "Oliver!," Alice in "Bright Star," Cathy in "The Last Five Years," and
Clara in "Light in the Piazza." Clark has toured the US and Canada performing her acclaimed concert "Joni Mitchell's BLUE." She can be seen on the television show "Portlandia," as well as IFC's "Documentary Now! Co-op," for which she is featured on the Emmy-nominated cast album. Clark started playing piano when she was 3 years old and has picked up a new instrument every few years since. She plays anything with strings, most notably viola, guitar, banjo and dulcimer. "I don't remember a time when I wasn't making music," Clark says.
Website: https://www.sirensongsmusic.com/
