RightOutTV Music & Video Awards 2014 • Kevin Wood

The winners of the 2014 RightOut TV Music & Video Awards were announced recently, proving what great music is being made by LGBT artists. Well, that was obvious when I saw the list of nominees, coming from all around the world. RightOut TV was founded by Marlee Walchuk and Tully Callender, devoted to the promotion of LGBT artists and their music all across the globe. The submissions are from many genre, from Rock to Country to Electronica. Once again this year, I was proud to be asked to be a judge, hearing some more great music and discovering a few new artists. But enough with all that. It is time to showcase some very deserving artists. Today I am thrilled to feature Kevin Wood.

I am a bit saddened to say this is the last post of winners from the 2014 RightOut TV Music & Video Awards. At the same time, I am excited, for I feel as though I have met several new artists I will be listening to for years to come. I can speak from experience because the winner of the Fan Favorite is someone I discovered when I was a judge for the 2013 Awards. He scored the award for 'Best Video So Far' in 2013 for 'Make It In LA', so I wasn't the only judge he made a mark with. Kevin Wood so impressed me, I needed to go out and find more of his music. Apparently, he resonated with many others, earning the Fan Favorite award for 2014.

That leaves the only remaining category, one I kept until the end much like the Grammy Awards do. 'Song of the Year' is an award that sounds impressive, mostly because it is impressive. There was no shortage of fantastic submissions, leading to six outstanding nominees. The list included several winner featured earlier in this series, like former 'The Voice' contestant Sarah Golden and "The One I Love", Martine Locke with "All My Days", Corday with her uplifting "Riding a Rainbow", Jane of Arc with "Run Flying", and Megan Lane, who took an earlier award with "Someday We Will Leave This Town". But the award went to Kevin Wood, his second for this year, this for the song "One Time Around". The Long Beach, California-based singer/songwriter featured the song on his album 'Out Among the Wolves' earlier this year, and I loved it right away. Without further ado, this is the song named 'Song of the Year', "One Time Around" by Kevin Wood.

Get Band email for free at ReverbNation.com

As you could hear, the song is just so positive, so inspiring, I cannot resist it. You can find "One Time Around" on Kevin's album released earlier this year. You can purchase 'Out Among the Wolves' from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. To learn more about Kevin Wood, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, and 'follow' him on Twitter.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank RightOut TV for asking me to be a judge once again. I am honored to take part of the competition, and thrilled to discover artists who are new to me year after year. The talent in the LGBT community seems to have no limits, something the RightOut TV website proves all year round.

Marlee and Tully developed RightOut TV to help LGBT artists with promotion, as a way of giving back to the community. The couple are also a musical duo, making up Sugarbeach. They were kind enough to ask me to participate in the awards for the last few years as a judge. To learn more about RightOut TV, visit the RightOut TV website. You can also 'follow' them on Twitter, and 'like' them on Facebook.

Kevin Wood • Out Among The Wolves

Being a judge for the RightOutTV Music and Video Awards certainly has it's perks. For me, the best one is the introduction to new artists from all over the world. This last year, one of the artists I had the pleasure of meeting was Kevin Wood, a singer/songwriter from California. Wood feels most comfortable behind his piano, so it is no wonder he lists Elton John and Billy Joel among the artists who have influenced him. I would describe his music as American Pop, with flavors of Folk and Country seasoning the stew. And much like a warm hearty bowl of stew, curling up on the sofa while listening to his new album, 'Out Among the Wolves', is a great way to warm yourself this snowy weekend.

Today is the official release for Kevin's new album, 'Out Among The Wolves'. After giving the album a couple of listens, it makes total sense to me Kevin decided to share it with everyone on Valentine's Day, for it is really all about love. And can't we all use a little more love in our lives? The twelve-song collection kicks off with "Today", which floats and soars with a joy that warms the soul. There is something so self-affirming about the song, I want to play it for myself every morning. I am also glad Kevin managed to come out and admit he is a "Hopeless Romantic", which happens to be the name of the second track on the album.

Learn how to place music on itunes at ReverbNation.com

The third song on the album is "Garden of Eden", which I had featured on the blog when it was released shortly after Thanksgiving. I thought it was sexy, flirty and hot, and am glad to say it is still true two months later. In case you missed it, please enjoy the music video for "Garden of Eden" by Kevin Wood.

There is an interesting vibe for "I Wanna Know", reminding me of the early stages of a relationship, when you want to learn all about this person you find irresistible. On "Not a Song", Kevin brings an Electro-Pop sound that is bold and upbeat, while taking an introspective look at his feelings. With the opening bars of "Falling Away", there is a moody and sexy feel. There is a great joy here, as there should be when you are falling for someone new. The piano starts off "Edge of Greatness" with a simple feel, but by the chorus, the power builds nicely. This is Kevin Woods singing "Edge of Greatness".

Free music player widget at ReverbNation.com

There is a sweetness to "Fuzzy", a song that reminds us how much we all want to feel warm and fuzzy from time to time, even if we've had relationships that have ended badly. Speaking of relationships having issues, "House is Burning Down" looks at the hard work you must put in a relationship, whether it is going well, or having problems. With the soulful start to "Too Many Questions", we start a bluesy introspective journey where we reach a point of no return. When do we hit that point when there is just too much of anything? This folds seamlessly into "What Are We Supposed to Expect", another look at the trials and tribulations of building a relationship. To complete the arc of the collection, Kevin gives us "One Time Around", reminding us there are no dress rehearsals, and no do-overs. We have to live every minute of our lives like there is no tomorrow. We must find and appreciate all the love, beauty and happiness we can find. And you can find some beauty in a song, like I did with this album. Kevin speaks from the heart, warming us with the joy and laughter, and never flinching as he looks at the pain and sorrow. There is an honesty, and authenticity found on this album, and I really found that heartening. 'Out Among the Wolves' is available for purchase from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Kevin Wood, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'follow' him on Tumblr.

2013 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards • Best Video So Far & Fan Fave

I am pleased to showcase the recent winners of the 2013 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards, pointing a spotlight on a few of the many talented members of the LGBT community making music. This year, awards were given in 18 different categories, with 17 different acts receiving them. The awards are given by RightOutTV, a website founded by Marlee Walchuck and Tully Callender. The website promotes Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender artists, allowing a platform for their voices to be heard, and a place for those wanting to support them to visit on a regular basis. “If you watch the awards show you’ll see that we don’t just promote and award these artists because they’re gay. These are high-level, multi-talented, professionals with star quality,” says Marlee Walchuk, co-producer of the awards. “Even though most of these artists are not being heard on mainstream radio yet, they deserve every success enjoyed by their straight counterparts."

I will conclude this series featuring the winners of the 2013 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards with the two remaining categories. First up, I will bring you the Fan Favorite, Troy Jackson. It is hard to describe Jackson and his music. He is part Punk, part Hip-Hop, part Dance, and part Soul. and, depending on the song you are listening to, the recipe can vary. He is bold, a little brash, and as honest as the world will let him be. One way to get to know Troy would be to watch his music video for "The Batty Boys Revenge", found on Troy's 2009 release, 'Cd of Troy'.

You can purchase 'Cd of Troy' from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. But Troy recently released a new single, "Icons", which has a slightly different sound. It is much more melodic, and makes a stronger statement on the whole. I love the song, and am happy to share it with you now. This is "Icons".

You can purchase "Icons" from iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, and Bandcamp. To learn more about Troy Jackson, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook.

And, finally, with my final winner of the 2013 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards, I bring you the artist with the Best Video So Far. I can honestly tell you as someone who filled out a ballot on this category, it was a tough one to be sure. I am not privy to the final totals, but I am sure they must have been close. And the winner was Kevin Wood and his stylish turn in "Make It In LA". There is a wonderful Country meets Pop feel to the song, and that is delightfully captured in the video. I loved it, and immediately went online to purchase the album it was on. I hadn't been familiar with his work before, but I most certainly am now.

"Make It In LA" can be found on Kevin's 2006 release, 'Finding Me'. You can purchase from iTunes, Amazon, and from the online store. To learn more about Kevin Wood, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' Kevin on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook. And Kevin has a new album, 'Out Among the Wolves', coming out in January of 2014. I've had a sneak peak, and it is one to keep an eye out for! And I am already looking forward to the 2014 edition of the RightOutTV Music & Video Awards. Until then, visit the RightOutTV website and check out the great music you can find there.

Kevin Wood • Garden of Eden Video

During the most recent round of the RightOutTV Music & Video Awards, I became familiar with the music of Kevin Wood, and instantly put him on my radar. I liked what I heard, and knew he had one one category I will visit later. When I was contacted by Kevin recently, telling me he was excited about a new album he was releasing the beginning of 2014, and the first taste would be in the form of a new music video. This news was making my holidays bright, and soon I had the pleasure of seeing "Garden of Eden", the video directed by Matteo Bertoli for the song off the upcoming album, 'Out Among the Wolves'. Sexy, flirty, hot and bold are all words you could use to describe the song and music video for "Garden of Eden".

To learn more about Kevin Wood, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook, 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'follow' him on Tumblr. You can also 'subscribe' to him on YouTube, or just check out the music available.