Paul Kennerley


Paul Kennerley is an English songwriter living in Nashville, Tennessee.

Biography

Kennerley was born in Hoylake, Cheshire, England, in 1948, where his father was a director of a company based in nearby Liverpool. He was the youngest of four children. At the age of 8, he attended a preparatory boarding school in Cheshire, followed by Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, and Copford Glebe in Essex.
After leaving school, Kennerley apprenticed in the design studios of a Liverpool advertising agency. In 1969, he spent several months at an agency in New York City before returning to London, where he worked as a layout artist.
For as early as he can remember, he had an over-arching passion for music. In the early 70’s, Kennerley held a secondary job managing the London “pub rock” band The Winkies. 1974 he left advertising in order to pursue and develop his songwriting. In 1975, he became enraptured by country music, having heard a Waylon Jennings record. "It really excited me and led me to discover many other artists and an entire genre I had never listened to before." Kennerley recalled.
Although he wanted only to write country songs, his lack of experience of rural American life and culture seemed inauthentic. That led him to write songs set in historical settings that eventually became the much lauded Civil War concept album White Mansions.
His songs have been featured in hit films such as A Star is Born and Thelma & Louise and have been recorded by the greats of music including Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Ringo Starr, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Nanci Griffith, Dave Edmunds, Brenda Lee, Glen Campbell, The Everly Brothers, Kenny Rogers, The [Nitty Gritty Dirt Band], Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, Martina McBride, The Judds, Marty Stuart, Patty Loveless, Charlie Daniels, The Highwaymen, Dierks Bentley, Lonnie Donegan, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Solomon Burke, Don Williams, The Crickets, and more.

Recordings

White Mansions
Kennerley's first major project was White Mansions, a 1978 concept album set in the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. The project was picked up by A&M Records, with Glyn Johns producing. A number of notable artists recorded the music, including Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Steve Cash and John Dillon of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and Eric Clapton. The Guardian described White Mansions as "the first and perhaps best outlaw country rock Civil War concept album ever recorded."
The Legend of Jesse James
In 1980, Kennerley released his second concept album, The Legend of Jesse James. It featured more notable artists, including Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Charlie Daniels, Albert Lee and Levon Helm. The Legend of Jesse James tells the story of the outlaw's life through various artists. It features Levon Helm as Jesse James and Johnny Cash as Frank James, with other notable performers including Emmylou Harris, Charlie Daniels, and Rosanne Cash. Produced by Glyn Johns, the album follows a chronological narrative and has been re-released as a two-CD set with Kennerley's previous album, White Mansions, both of which were produced by Glyn Johns.
Misery with a Beat
In 1995, Kennerley released the EP Misery with a Beat which, featured Richard Bennett, Billy Bremner, and himself on guitar, Michael Rhodes on bass, and Chad Cromwell on drums with songs including "Love Match"; - "Heart Full of Rain"; - "Tryin' to Get Over You" "She was Mine" - and - "The Heartbreak Kind".
Paul Kennerley Demos
In 2025, Kennerley released the double CD, Paul Kennerley Demos, a collection of his original rough and ragged homemade versions of songs that went on to be recorded by greats such as Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Marty Stuart, Tanya Tucker, Levon Helm, Patty Loveless, Charlie Daniels, John Anderson, The Highwaymen, The Class of ’55, Solomon Burke, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler, Linda Ronstadt, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, Wynonna and others. Several of the songs became number one and top five records on the Billboard Country Charts. On the album, all of the songs were sung and recorded by Kennerley with the exception of "You’re the Kind of Trouble," which was sung by The Wrights, and "Diggin’ My Grave" which was sung by Morgane Stapleton.

Personal life

In 1979, Kennerley married Jenny Dugan Chapman in London. The couple had two children, a daughter Marisha and a son Charles. They divorced in 1984. In 1983, Kennerley moved to Nashville where he continued to have songs recorded by country music artists. In 1985, he married Emmylou Harris. They were divorced in 1991. Kennerley continues to live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Awards

Kennerley was named Broadcast Music Incorporated Country Writer of the Year in 1989.

Songs used in television shows

Songs used in films

FilmSong
Baja Oklahoma"In My Dreams"
Thelma and Louise"I Don't Want to Love You "
The Lost Boys"Crazy Old Soldier"
A Star [Is Born |A Star Is Born]"Diggin’ My Grave"
Wild Rose"Born to Run"

Top 20 songs on the Billboard Country Charts written by Kennerley

SongRecorded byYearAchievedCo-written
"Have Mercy"The Judds1985No 1
"Cry Myself to Sleep"The Judds1986No 1
"Young Love "The Judds1989No 1*
"Let Me Tell You About Love"The Judds1989No 1*
"Give a Little Love"The Judds1988No 2
"Born to Run"Emmylou Harris1982No 3
"Walking Shoes"Tanya Tucker1990No 3
"In [My Dreams |In My Dreams]"Emmylou Harris1984No 4
"Blue Side of Town"Patty Loveless1989No 4*
"Chains of Gold"Sweethearts of the Rodeo1987No 5
"Tempted"Marty Stuart1991No 5*
"One Hundred and Two"The Judds1991No 6*
"Tell Me True"Juice Newton1988No 8*
"Hillbilly Rock"Marty Stuart1990No 8
"Heartbreak Hill"Emmylou Harris1989No 8*
"Little Things"Marty Stuart1991No 8*
"One Man Woman"The Judds1990No 8
"Till I Found You"Marty Stuart1991No 12*
"White Line"Emmylou Harris1985No 13*
"Heaven Only Knows"Emmylou Harris1989No 14
"Western Girls"Marty Stuart1990No 20*
"Heart Trouble"Martina McBride1993No 21

NOTE

Discography

Recordings

* Class of 55 )