Robyn Landis
Robyn Landis is a gifted wordsmith and award-winning songwriter whose deft and powerful command of language has garnered repeated comparisons to Richard Shindell, Gillian Welch and Dar Williams.
Noted for her honesty, depth and intelligence, Robyn uses song to tackle subjects ranging from war to weather to (what else?) love--with a distinctive and articulate voice. Courageous, literate and heartfelt, Robyn delivers her incisive insights through pure, intimate vocals and pleasing melodies. Since 2005, she has accrued more than 35 songwriting awards and honors nationally and internationally, in competitions and at festivals.
Indie-Music.com says, "Smooth vocals, like an earthy Laurie Lewis...Landis has won a lot of songwriting awards, and it's easy to see why."
Robyn studied guitar with the venerable Linda Waterfall, and voice with vocal coach Kathy Sankey. She also trained as an actor and in musical theater. She has been a successful author and a professional writer all her life.
After the release of her first CD, as half of the acoustic duo Short & Sweet, Robyn was a finalist in the 2005 Suwannee Springfest Songwriting Competition, the 2005 Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase in Vermont, the 2005 and 2006 Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Contests, and the 2005 Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Contest. She also received an honorable mention in the Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition in 2005. Her song "While Trees Fall" won first prize in the acoustic category of the 2005 William Robert Abate Songwriting Competition; advanced to the second round of judging in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (2006); and was a top 40 semifinalist (of 500 entries) in the 2006 Peacedriven Songwriting Competition. Two songs also received honorable mention in the 2005 Billboard Song Contest. One co-written song ("Say Goodbye") won honorable mentions in the 2005 SongPrize International Competition, the U.K. Songwriting Competition, and the West Coast International Songwriter's Contest.
In July 2006, Robyn was a finalist in the 2006 KRCL/Founder's Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival Performing Songwriter Showcase and the 2006 Solarfest Songwriters Showcase, and—as first place winner of the 2006 Woody Guthrie Songwriting Competition—had a mainstage set at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. (A second song also won honorable mention in the 2006 Woody Guthrie Competition.) This same month, "While Trees Fall" took second place in the Acoustic/Folk category of the Unisong Songwriting Competition, and was a top 20 finalist in the contest’s Social/Political Category. In addition, her song "State of Grace" was a Top 20 Finalist in Unisong's Lyric Category, and the co-write "Say Goodbye" was a Top 20 Finalist in the Acoustic/Folk category. She was one of very few entrants to place with several songs in several categories, from thousands of entries. In August 2006, Robyn was chosen as a finalist in the 3rd Annual Williamburg Live Songwriting Competition and invited to play "While Trees Fall" at the live rounds in Brooklyn, NY. In September 2006, "While Trees Fall" received an honorable mention in the 2006 River Bluff Music Festival Songwriting Competition.
In January 2007, "Say Goodbye" won first place in the Canadian-based International Narrative Song Competition. "I'm In Love" also took an honorable mention in the same competition as well as in The Singer-Songwriter Awards. Plus, two of Robyn's songs again made it to the final round of judging in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition.
In March 2007, Robyn was a featured artist at IndieMusic.com, and her song "While Trees Fall" made it to the top ten on their listener playlist. In May 2007 she was also a finalist (for the third year running) in the Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and her song "Winter Blues" was given honorable mention in the West Coast International Songwriting Competition.
She was also selected (again) to perform in July 2007 in the KRCL/Founder's Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival Performing Songwriter Showcase (Utah), and the Solarfest Songwriter's Showcase (Vermont). Her brand-new song "She Don't Have Your Eyes" was a Top 20 Finalist in the 2006-2007 Unisong International Songwriting Competition.
In September, Robyn was selected as an alternate finalist in the 2007 Tumbleweed Music Festival songwriting contest. In December, IndieMusic.com chose her song "While Trees Fall" as one of its Top 25 Mp3s of the Year.
Jan.-Feb. 2008, Robyn participated in Brett Perkins' Listening Room International Songwriter's Retreat, whose alumni include Dar Williams, Lisa Loeb, Tom Kimmel, Simon Lynge, Jonatha Brooke, Caroline Aiken, Kathrin Shorr, and Christene LeDoux. And to kick off the year, her new song "You Don't Know A Thing" won an honorable mention in the International Narrative Songwriting Competition.
In May 2008, two new songs earned her an honorable mention in the esteemed Telluride Troubador Contest (Telluride Folk & Bluegrass Festival). In July 2008 she is again a finalist in the Performing Songwriters Showcase at the Founder's Title Folk & Bluegrass Festival in Snowbird, Utah. And she is one of five showcase finalists in the WC Handy Music Festival in Muscle Shoals, AL, chosen by hit songwriter Cris Moore.
Robyn performed from 2001-2006 with Short & Sweet, an acoustic duo with Steve Amsden. The duo released its debut CD Love and other Words in November 2004 on their own label, Take One Again Music.
* Showcase Finalist, 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
* 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
* 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
View Robyn Landis (and duo Short & Sweet)'s EPK