Eliot Kennedy (born 29 March 1969) is an English songwriter and record producer based in Sheffield. He has worked with artists such as Céline Dion, Rebbie Jackson, Billie Piper, The Spice Girls, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Donny Osmond, Bryan Adams, Lulu, S Club 7, Human Nature, Five, Gary Barlow, Delta Goodrem, The Wanted, Janet Devlin, Lovers Electric, and Brazilian group Rouge.
History
editKennedy began writing songs with his brother at the age of thirteen and started a band at his school in Rotherham, Dinnington High School, but he was interested in composing and studio work more than performing. He apprenticed as an audio engineer, and after collecting insurance for an automobile accident, he purchased equipment and began working as an engineer on a freelance basis, which eventually led to production work. The first major band that Kennedy was in was World Still Turns, a studio band in Sheffield, along with former gospel singer John Taylor and Tom Chester; they received huge interest from all the major record companies.[citation needed] His first success as a producer was the hit single "Independence", the title song of the 1993 album by Lulu, which led to projects with Pauline Henry, Dannii Minogue, Kenny Thomas, and Take That.[1][2]
Kennedy has contributed songs to a number of film soundtracks, including Spice World, Stepmom, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Racing Stripes, and Bridge to Terabithia. He was nominated with Bryan Adams for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for "Never Gonna Break My Faith" from Bobby and the Satellite Award for Best Original Song for "Never Let Go" also co-written with Adams from The Guardian.[citation needed] Kennedy and Adams were also nominated for a Grammy Award for Never Gonna Break My Faith recorded by Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige, for the film Bobby. The song went on to win the Grammy for Aretha Franklin in the Gospel Section. Kennedy won an Ivor Novello award for Picture of You by Boyzone.[citation needed]
For the 2011 series of The X Factor UK, he was credited as Talent Development and appeared in the rehearsal studio on several episodes. Following his first series of involvement in The X Factor, he teamed up with the series' 5th placed Janet Devlin[3] and 6th placed Craig Colton, to write songs with them.
In 2011 Kennedy was planning a concert in Sheffield to raise funds for his One Song Foundation. The concert was to mark his 21 years in the music business.[4]
In 2012 Kennedy was given an Honorary doctorate (DUniv) by Sheffield Hallam University for his contribution to the region's music industry, and for his outstanding work for charities, including his own One Song Foundation.[5]
In late June 2020, Aretha Franklin's solo version of "Never Gonna Break My Faith" featuring the Harlem Boys Choir was released posthumously. The song, co-written by Kennedy and Bryan Adams, quickly hit #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart.[6]
Kennedy is the co-owner of The Steelworks Recording Company and also Kennedy Publishing and Production.[7]
In September 2020 Kennedy released the album 'Mind Music'.
In February 2021 Eliot Kennedy released his first solo album entitled 'A Yacht Named Sue' to critical acclaim.
Eliot married his wife Becky in May 2023 in a low-key celebration with their family and closest friends. They currently live and work in Sheffield, UK.
Eliot is currently working on several new projects in Film and musical theatre, including a Musical storytelling of the notorious discotheque in late 1970's New York 'Studio 54' and his next musical 'Empire State Dreams' which is set for a UK release.
References
edit- ^ "ELIOT KENNEDY: Producing Sheffield Music". Soundonsound.com. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ John Dingwall, 'Scream Test; Exclusive: Take That producer Eliot Kennedy rates the new boy bands bidding to rule the charts', Daily Record (Glasgow), 25 April 1996.
- ^ 'Janet Devlin teams up with Eliot Kennedy', Music News, 26 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ 'X Factor stars perform hits at Eliot Kennedy charity show' Archived 5 May 2013 at archive.today, Selby Times, 3 October 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
- ^ "Hard work and patience key to hon docs' success | Media | Sheffield Hallam University". Shu.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ 'Aretha Franklin officially has no. 1 hits in every decade since the '60s' Archived 2 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2020.
- ^ "Eliot Kennedy". IMDb.