Singer-Songwriter Liz Kennedy Revisits 'I Wish I Believed'
In addition to her growing catalog of recordings, she has performed over the years at renowned San Francisco Bay Area hotspots including the Razz Room and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Apr. 13, 2021
Liz Kennedy is revisiting the soulfully African-tinged track "I Wish I Believed" from her critically acclaimed 2008 album "Nothing Like An Angel." The song, produced by Joel Jaffe, features Kennedy on piano alongside several top bay area musicians including Eamonn Flynn on keyboards, Joel Jaffe on acoustic guitar, Billy Johnson on drums, Jamie Brewer on bass, Dale Chung on percussion, and backing vocals from West African Highlife Band.
Liz reflects on the track. "I wrote I Wish I Believed more than a decade ago. When I was scared. The situation in the Middle East was terrifying, the Earth was in hot water, and a financial crisis was in full bloom. "What in the world is wrong"? So many questions and so many answers. Ancient ones. New ones. The world is always frightening, but once again, particularly so. The solace a codified religious belief system can provide continues to escape me though I have strong spiritual leanings. In this song the river (iconic in most religions) is the dream of a future when people flow together towards "heavenly peace". And I want to believe. I wish I believed. And most days I do. I have faith in hope."
After graduating from Stanford University, where she studied anthropology, journalism, and communications, Kennedy settled in the Bay Area, where she worked for film companies that made TV commercials for many years. Long before reality TV became a mainstream part of our culture, Kennedy specialized in casting real people (instead of professional actors) for commercials. She was also married and raised two children. In her later 40s, around the time she began realizing she had "songs in my head" that had never been recorded, she met Jaffe, who liked what he heard and encouraged her to take her work as a singer/songwriter more seriously. In addition to her growing catalog of recordings, she has performed over the years at renowned San Francisco Bay Area hotspots including the Razz Room, Sweetwater, Throckmorton, Hopmonk Tavern, Angelicas, and Club Fox.
Keep current with Liz Kennedy on her website lizkennedymusic.com and social media via Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
"I Wish I Believed" is available on all the usual digital outlets and also featured on a lyric video!
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