Right where I came in by Brendan Mc Kinney & the 99 Brown Dogs

The "Proven Ground " is an acoustic anthem about choosing to follow your heart at the expense of gaining a life of security through conformity a - dilemma we all face, perhaps more regularly than we realize.

"Leave it up to me" is a groovy Pop Americana tune, with soulful vocals expressing an optimistic faith that, "Everything will work out fine."

On the lighter side, "Fat Ass Girls" finds McKinney offering his starkly honest, yet lighthearted musings on the realities of relationships. How men and women fall in love while learning to look past each others physical shortcomings. "That comes from a true story," laughs McKinney. "And unlike those so-called reality TV shows, this is an example of how many people really get together, and ultimately stay together."

McKinney matches his solid, honest rock n' roll attitude and vocals to whatever the mood calls for -- encouraging each song to cry out its message loud and clear. The haunting barebones track, "Pirates Gold", with a solo McKinney pounding his guitar while playing harmonica, brings to the mind's eye a picture of a subway busker singing with the voice a streetwise kid trying to turn his luck around with one 'big score'.

The catchy, Dylanesque number "Hey, hey Jan Jan," with lyrics like " you shoulds, you coulds, and you know what I woulds keep ringing in my ears ... "

is another example of Mc Kinney's ability to mine the depths of his own experiences and relay them in a universal way that instantly connects with the Listener.

"Right Where I came In," is a CD that is right on time, rife with simple ideals and observations that are an integral part of the human experience. Mc Kinney is a songwriter who combines depth with light heartedness. "Hopefully, there's something here for everyone," says McKinney. "Something that invites you back again and again."

There is definitely something here. The listener will find themselves tuning in and ultimately wanting more.

Brendan Mc Kinney's Bio

Brendan Mc Kinney was born in and raised just outside the city of Philadelphia.

Just like his current lifestyle as a traveling international troubadour, McKinney's upbringing didn't exactly encourage conformity.

He grew up in a large Irish family immersed in a world of words and music: his father was well-known journalist/music critic Jack McKinney of the Philadelphia Daily News; his mother Doris Kavanaugh McKinney sang with legendary big band leader Vaughn Monroe, and was a popular Philadelphia area performer . Intermingle those powerful influences with the extensive rock n' roll album collections of his older brothers and sister, and it's easy to see why McKinney has chosen the road less traveled.

"Everybody in my family played at least a little guitar and sang", reflects Mc Kinney, " I was the last to pick it up, but I could never manage to put it back down."

After many years as a prominent entertainer in the North Eastern region of the U.S., both as a solo artist and as lead vocalist and guitarist for bands such as: ' The Missionaries' (rhythm & blues) and ' Driving Wheel ' (blues). Mc Kinney is recognized a talented songwriter and powerful and exciting stage presence. He has played concerts and clubs in numerous venues throughout the east coast and currently lives and performs fulltime in Colorado.

When Mc Kinney is performing live, he constantly reaches for a new plateau, and is arguably most compelling to watch when he cuts loose and improvises with his music and the crowd. He has opened for big name acts such as Chicago blues great Bobby Radcliffe and has performed with the likes of Philadelphia local recording artist Tommy Conwell.

Mc Kinney has also been recently successful at expanding into markets in all of Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) and parts of Europe (Germany, Austria and Greece to name a few).

" The great thing about playing to international audiences", says Mc Kinney, " is that you get inspired to create and play material you never would of thought about had you not traveled in the first place. Inspiration comes from the places I least expect it sometimes ... these days I do most of my best writing when I'm on the road ."

McKinney recently settled in Eagle, Colorado where he works the bustling local scene in the Vail valley during the winter season. He performs regularly at Vail hot spot, The Red Lion, Jack's Slope Side in Copper Mountain as well as the Main Street Grill in Edwards.

Average Customer Review: