New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Emily Drennan, a versatile singer-songwriter-producer who has performed on and off Broadway and with symphonies across the country, has released her new single "I Know Your Name". The song is a heartfelt tribute to her father,
James S. Drennan, who was tragically killed exactly one year ago.
Emily wrote the song as a way of coping with her grief and honoring her father's legacy. She said, "I spoke to my father every day. He was an inspiration to me and to so many others and likely the wisest person I will ever know. He was healthy and vibrant and suddenly losing him because of the recklessness of another person has been gut-wrenching. Writing this song has helped me process my grief and express my gratitude for him. I hope it will help others who are going through similar experiences of loss and pain."
The song is a beautiful ballad that showcases Drennan's powerful vocals and emotional delivery and fortitude. The lyrics convey a message of hope and resilience, as she sings, "We still have the memories of everything we made / We still have the laughter, the music will not fade / I'll keep dreaming of all we did and everything we are / The pain is like my shadow, but there's beauty in the scar / Forever beauty in that scar. "
Emily attributes her passion for writing to her mother, Patti Drennan, who is an active composer and arranger with sales of over 3 million copies. Emily's parents were high school sweethearts of 54 years.
The song features a stunning string arrangement by composer and orchestrator Adrian Mann, who has arranged for symphonies such as Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Philly Pops and New York Pops. The string arrangement adds a layer of depth and richness to the song and also plays into Drennan's symphony background. Mann said, "I wanted to capture the mood which is both sad and uplifting at the same time by enhancing but not overpowering the melody line."
The song was recorded at Power Station at BerkleeNYC and was mixed and mastered by MPK Recordings and RoxSteady
Music LLC. It features cellist Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf (Parade, Bridges of Madison County, Sunday in the Park with George), violinists, Patty Davis (Phantom of the Opera) and
Jorge Avila (Wicked, Chicago), violist
William Hakim (String Orchestra of NYC), as well as trumpeter John Chudoba (Sweeney Todd, Funny Girl) and horn player Blair Hamrick (Into the Woods, Camelot). Cover design is by Nathan Price Art (Broncho) and RoxSteady Music, LLC.
Proceeds from the song will go to the
James S. Drennan Scholarship Orchestra Fund, which the family has created to support students who share her father's passion for music, faith and community service. Her father was a founding member of the orchestra and trumpet and later baritone player for over 25 years. Emily said, "My father loved playing in the orchestra and he was incredibly generous with his time, talent and mentorship. He believed in giving back to others and helping them achieve their dreams. We want to honor his memory by supporting the next generation of musicians who will carry on his legacy."
Emily plans to release more singles and her third album in the near future. A highly sought-after singer with a voice that knows no one genre, Emily has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center,
Radio City
Music Hall and as a studio singer for national commercial recordings and voice-overs. She is a frequent guest soloist with symphonies having performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, The
Detroit Symphony, The Dallas Symphony, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, The OKC Philharmonic and The Pittsburgh Symphony among many others. She is also a published ASCAP lyricist, composer and recording artist for TV and Film as well a member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMY'S).
"I Know Your Name" is available on all streaming platforms. For more information about Emily Drennan and her music, please visit her official website at https://www.emilydrennan.com/ or follow her on social media @emilykdrennan.
