David Llewellyn

GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the prestigious 2008 JOHN LENNON Songwriting Contest - Folk category. Winner 2007 - \'New Folk\' competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Winner 2008 - W. C. Handy Music Festival, Muscle Shoals. Finalist 2008 - U.K. Songwriting Competition - Folk/Country category. In the tradition of great Welsh male vocalists, David Llewellyn\'s name is sure to be added to the list with the release of his self-titled debut CD. David\'s smooth baritone highlights his lyircs, which paint emotional landscapes interlaced with strands of regret, gratitude, love, denial, sorrow and joy. His songwriting is honed from his British Isles upbringing and his 13 years in the US. This confluence of both cultures is reinforced on the CD with his subtle use of Celtic instrumentation as well as the inclusion of a traditional Welsh folk song. Llewellyn\'s rendition of Patti Griffin\'s \'Long Ride Home\' open the CD with a lone Irish whistle, courtesy of John Mock, and the die is cast. \'Bugeilio\'r Gwenith Gwyn\' (track #3) showcases David\'s roots with this favorite Welsh folk song. Nicknamed \'BGG,\' it is a true story dating back to the 1700\'s, and set to an even older harp aire. By adding his own English lyric to the original, David allows the full story to be told. Sally Barris sings the harmony, and is also featured on the strongly celtic influenced The Way You Make Me Feel (track #10), whose interwoven acoustic instruments including bodhran, whistle, high strung guitar, mandolin and fiddle build to something more akin to a Chieftains finale. At the other end of the spectrum is the reflective \'Old Junk Drawer\' (track #6). \'...But there ain\'t nothing here worth a single dime. Why can\'t I just leave it all behind?\' Just guitar and vocal are enough to deliver the message, as is the gentle handling of \'Nowhere To Be Found\' (track #11). \'...I was hoping, the next time we met, I\'d be doin\' just great, but I ain\'t there yet.\' By using cello and djembe as the rhythm section on \'Too Many Hours\' (track #2), a song which drops you midst the all too common domestic fight over time and attention, David, along with co-producer Jack Sundrud (Poco, Great Plains) continue to steer away from conventional arrangements, always looking for that right touch to support the lead vocal. The mostly acoustic line up of musicians is impressive, including some of Nashville\'s heavy hitters--Dave Pomeroy/bass, Larry Franklin fiddle/mandolin, Kenny Vaughn and Wil Kimbrough on guitars, as are the guest vocalists including Tom Kimmel, Dana Cooper, and Cindy Greene. Over an eighteen month period, this project became quite a community effort, with more than two dozen musicians graciously pouring in their love and care. All are listed in the booklet.