FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/b><\/p>\n
March 30, 2020<\/b><\/p>\n
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Siren Songs (Merideth Kaye Clark and Jenn Grinels) is set<\/b><\/p>\n
to release an eponymous album in May<\/b><\/p>\n
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Siren Songs<\/i><\/b> features both originals and favorite covers<\/b><\/p>\n
from the Americana-folk duo<\/b><\/p>\n
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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<\/i>, on May 29, 2020.\u00a0 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 (\u201cGoodnight Sun, Hello Moon,\u201d \u201c100,\u201d and \u201cGray\u201d) as well as a selection of folk and Americana favorites (\u201cJolene,\u201d \u201cEdelweiss,\u201d \u201cChelsea Morning,\u201d \u201cAngel from Montgomery,\u201d \u201cFor Good,\u201d \u201cTime After Time\u201d).\u00a0 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<\/i>.\u00a0 The duo plans to release three singles in advance of the album \u2013 one original and two covers: \u201cGoodnight Sun\/Hello Moon,\u201d \u201cEdelweiss,\u201d and \u201cTime After Time.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe 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,\u201d says Grinels.<\/p>\n
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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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I look at her, I\u2019m happy,\u201d says Clark.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I\u2019m up there with Jenn, I feel protected and in safe hands.\u201d\u00a0 Grinels echoes the sentiment, saying, \u201cIt feels easy, and it\u2019s joyful, and it\u2019s just right.\u201d After performing together for years now, the pair created Siren Songs<\/i> to make good music as best friends. \u201cFrom the beginning, it\u2019s been the most effortless musical collaboration,\u201d says Grinels.\u00a0 \u201cAnd the universe has continued to beat the drum of symbiosis as the project marches on.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Their cover of Dolly Parton\u2019s classic \u201cJolene,\u201d 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.\u00a0 The #JoleneChallenge was born when Parton and Julianne Hough (who was portraying the character of Jolene in the Netflix series \u201cHeartstrings\u201d 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 \u201cwept tears of joy,\u201d while Grinels added, \u201cWhen I learned that Dolly Pardon\u00a0LOVED our rendition \u2013 yes, in all caps \u2013 I was stunned!\u201d<\/p>\n
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Siren Songs is planning three album release shows, including: May 23rd<\/sup> at the Columbia Theatre in Longview, WA; May 29th<\/sup> at The Old Church in Portland, OR; and May 30th<\/sup> at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, OR. (All shows subject to possible rescheduling due to COVID-19.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n About Jenn Grinels:<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0 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. \u201cGoodnight Sun, Hello Moon\u201d is the first release from the score. Her music can be heard on television and in film.\u00a0 Grinels dove headfirst into musical theatre and was in rehearsals and shows as early as 5 years old.\u00a0 Later, she found joy in writing music, particularly her own, both in a band setting and as a solo artist.\u00a0 \u201cPerforming gave me the greatest sense of fulfillment,\u201d Grinels says. \u201cI\u2019ve always felt like this is who I am, and like this is what I was supposed to do since I was 3 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n About Merideth Kaye Clark:<\/p>\n 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 \u201cWicked\u201d for three years, as well as Eva Per\u00f3n in \u201cEvita,\u201d Nancy in \u201cOliver!,\u201d Alice in \u201cBright Star,\u201d Cathy in \u201cThe Last Five Years,\u201d and Clara in \u201cLight in the Piazza.\u201d Clark has toured the US and Canada performing her acclaimed concert \u201cJoni Mitchell\u2019s BLUE<\/i>.\u201d She can be seen on the television show \u201cPortlandia,\u201d as well as IFC\u2019s \u201cDocumentary Now! Co-op,\u201d for which she is featured on the Emmy-nominated cast album.\u00a0 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. \u201cI don\u2019t remember a time when I wasn\u2019t making music,\u201d Clark says.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Siren Songs promo video:\u00a0 https:\/\/youtu.be\/MPjvAWwpiyE<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n