Robyn Landis: Home
2009 Grand Prize Winner, John Lennon Songwriting Contest
2009 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists Showcase Selected Artist
2006 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Songwriting Contest 1st Place Winner
Singer-songwriter Robyn Landis is a rapidly emerging artist whose more than 45 songwriting honors just since 2005 herald a musical trajectory to watch. An avid and prolific writer since early childhood, Robyn Landis is a poet of unusual depth, intensity and literacy. She had a full career as a writer and author (publishing two bestselling books in her twenties) before turning her full attention to music.
Not surprisingly, Robyn's gifts and skills as a writer, applied to songcraft, earned her quick recognition. Her powerful command of language, evocative poetry, unflinching honesty and fierce intelligence have garnered comparisons to Richard Shindell, Dar Williams, and Gillian Welch among others.
While immediately established as a writer, she has also evolved over the past few years into a joyful performer appreciated for her authenticity and vulnerability. Her unpretentious, intimate vocals infuse her irresistible Americana-folk melodies with warmth and feeling.
Songwriting awards and honors have included first place at Woody Guthrie Folk Festival and second place in the Unisong International Songwriting Competition. Her most recent and prestigious accolades include Grand Prize in the 2009 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and her selection as a 2009 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist in NY.
After six years as half of the folk-Americana duo Short & Sweet, with whom she recorded her first CD (her five original songs on that recording yielded the first 30+ songwriting accolades in competitions and at festivals all over the country), Robyn went on as solo artist.
Her followup recording Many Moons, released May 2009, almost immediately became one of the most-played records on folk radio, reaching #16 on the folk charts in the last four months of 2009. With no publicist or special promotion, Many Moons caught the ear of more than 65 DJs across the nation.
Supported and accompanied by a stellar cast of world-class musicians, Many Moons features 12 heartfelt new songs that radiate Robyn's trademark honesty and intensity, and reveal a maturing and articulate writer's voice.
"Robyn Landis radiates excellence with every word, every note and every song. Many Moons is clearly one of the most exciting projects released by a singer/songwriter in North America this year...This girl has what it takes--and then some!" writes DJ Dennis Brunnenmeyer, KVMR (CA).
"The warmth of her voice and her intuitive connection are magnetic....Her passionate commitment to justice and the Earth won my heart." ~ Linda Waterfall
"Smooth vocals, like an ear thy Laurie Lewis...Landis has won a lot of songwriting awards, and it's easy to see why." ~ Indie-Music.com
"Many Moons is a brightly polished piece of work that will capture and carry you gently along on an intricate narrative adventure; an exceptional release." ~ Victory Music
"Every cut here is a keeper, and Landis obviously either lavished a good deal of time on the arrangements or has a natural gift for it, probably both. Like David Wilcox, her work is rich with sympathy for human frailty...of course, the fact that she has a list of awards and recognitions as long as your arm explains a lot of that. Robyn Landis, I'm quite sure, waited until her art was fully matured and, man, does it ever show." ~ Mark S. Tucker, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
"My gosh, it is really, really very good. I listened, I listened again. I really enjoy your singing, the songs, the arrangements. The first cut on Many Moons drew me in, and I was pretty much compelled to not skip around, and that does not often happen to me these days. Great work! ~ Rik James, "Americana Backroads," KGLT-FM, Bozeman, MT
"I really love Many Moons...truly one of my favorite new releases I've received in the last many, many months. Really, just a lovely record...wow!...an absolute treat to listen to from beginning to end." ~ Mark Michaelis, "Acoustic Harmony," WGDR Radio, VT
"I am excited there are voices as wonderful as the silky vocal vibes of Robyn Landis here in the Northwest. I could listen to her sing all day...It’s a wonderfully produced album, keeping her voice in the center with a calm, relaxed delivery. Highly recommended." ~ J.W. McClure, VICTORY REVIEW
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SONGWRITING RECOGNITION
* GRAND PRIZE, JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING CONTEST (Folk, Session I, 2009)
* SELECTED ARTIST, 2009 FALCON RIDGE EMERGING ARTISTS SHOWCASE
* Finalist, Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contest, May 2009
* Honorable Mention, Americana Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, March 2009
* Honorable Mention, Acoustic/Folk Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, March 2009
>* Showcase Winner (one of 5), W.C. Handy Music Festival, July 2008
* Finalist, Susanne Milsaps Performing Songwriter’s Showcase / Founder’s Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival, July 2008
* Honorable Mention, Telluride Troubadors competition (Telluride Folk Festival), May 2008
* Honorable Mention, International Narrative Song Competition, January 2008
* Alternate Finalist, Tumbleweed Music Festival songwriting contest, September 2007
* Top 20 Winner, Lyrics Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2007
* Finalist, Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase, July 2007
* Finalist, KRCL/Founder’s Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival Performing Songwriter’s Showcase, July 2007
* Honorable Mention, West Coast International Songwriter's Competition, May 2007
* Finalist, Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contest, May 2007
* Honorable Mention, Singer-Songwriter Awards, January 2007
* First Place Winner, International Narrative Song Competition, January 2007
a,sans-serif;">* Honorable Mention, International Narrative Song Competition, January 2007
* Honorable Mention, River Bluff Music Festival Songwriting Competition, September 2006
* Finalist, 3rd Annual Williamsburg Live Songwriting Competition, August 2006
* First Place Winner, Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Honorable Mention, Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Second Place Winner, Acoustic/Folk Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Top 20 Winner, Lyrics Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Top 20 Winner, Acoustic/Folk Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Top 20 Winner, Social/Political Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Honorable Mention, Acoustic/Folk Category, Unisong International Songwriting Competition, July 2006
* Alternate Finalist, Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase, July 2006
* Finalist, KRCL/Founder’s Title Performing Songwriter’s Showcase, July 2006
* Honorable Mention, West Coast International Songwriting Competition, May 2006
* Finalist, Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contest, May 2006
* Semifinalist, Peacedriven Songwriting Competition, April 2006
* Semifinalist, International Songwriting Competition, January 2006
* Honorable Mention, Billboard Song Contest, 2005 (two songs)
* Winner, William Robert Abate Songwriting Competition, September 2005
* Finalist, Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Contest, September 2005
* Honorable Mention, Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition, July 2005
* Semifinalist, U.K. Songwriting Competition, July 2005
* Finalist, Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase, July 2005
* Honorable Mention, Songprize International Songwriting Competition, June 2005
* Finalist, Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contest, April 2005
* Finalist, Suwannee Springfest Songwriting Contest, March 2005
