Beth Thornley

Beth Thornley is an American singer and songwriter.

Biography

Beth was born in Birmingham, Alabama and attended L. Frazier Banks Middle School. She later went to Samford University and studied classical music where she earned a degree in music education. After graduating, she decided she'd like to explore the world of rock and roll so she moved to Los Angeles and joined the music scene.

Music

Beth Thornley is a singer/songwriter who writes an eclectic mix of melodic modern rock/pop. Her band includes the usual suspects in addition to accordion, glockenspiel and megaphone. Her songs are well crafted, evocative and full of hooks and melodies you’ll be humming tomorrow. Her influences include The Beatles, Aimee Mann, Elvis Costello, Ben Folds and Lucinda Williams. Beth's second album, My Glass Eye [http://beththornley.com/music.html] , contains two songs not written by Beth or Rob Cairns; Got The Time (Joe Jackson) and Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles).

Career

When Beth first moved to Los Angeles she took advice from a vocal coach who told her "There are a million singers out there. But if you want any control you’ve got to be a songwriter, not just a singer". [http://beththornley.com/bio.html] Beth took this advice to heart and started writing.

Some of her achievements and recognitions include:
*Paste Magazine - featured in "4 to Watch" 10/06.
*USA Songwriting Contest 2006 - Top 10 finalist - rock category.
*ASCAP Lester Sill Workshop - 2006.
*International Songwriting Contest 2006 - Semi finalist - Americana category.
*Performing Songwriter Magazine - DIY Spotlight Sept./Oct. 2004.
*USA Songwriting Contest 2004 - Top 10 finalist - rock category.
*DIY Music Festival "Album of the Year" winner 2004 for "Beth Thornley".
*Artist For Literacy - song selected for Volume III.

Beth's band is a fluid line-up of musicians that contribute to both live shows and records. The players on her first album, Beth Thornley [http://beththornley.com/music.html] , were Beth, Rob Cairns and Rob Disner.

My Glass Eye has a wider group of musicians and singers including Rob Cairns (drums, bass, guitar, synth, keys, accordion, backing vocals), Beth (piano, accordion, tambourine), Sheldon Gomberg (bass), Mark Browne (bass), Rob Disner (guitar), Michael Bluestein (piano), Jeff Lane (backing vocals), Richard Dodd (cello), Daphne Chen (viola), Leah Katz (viola), Patricia Thornley (backing vocals) Mark Ferik (backing vocals), Robert Kelley (clapping), Paul Trejo (clapping).

The line-up for live shows varies but has included Beth Thornley (keys/vocals), Rob Cairns (guitar, keys) Karen Teperberg (drums), Sheldon Gomberg (bass), Rob Disner (guitar), Vivi Rama (bass), Mark Browne (bass), Maria Scherer (cello).

Discography

Beth's eponymous first album [http://beththornley.com/music.html] was released in 2003.

Track Listing:

* I Will Lie (Beth)
* You Made It So (Beth)
* Sunshine And Celluloid (music: Beth/Rob Cairns, lyrics: Beth)
* Arrogance (Beth)
* How Many Days (Beth)
* Don't Save Me (Beth)
* Talkin' Like An Angel (music: Beth/Rob Cairns, lyrics: Beth)
* Lucky You (Beth)
* Go Baby Go (Beth)
* Break U N 2 (music: Beth/Rob Cairns, lyrics: Beth)

My Glass Eye [http://beththornley.com/music.html] is Beth's second album and was released in August 2006.

Track listing:

* Stand (Beth)
* Beautiful Lie (Beth)
* Mr. Lovely (Beth)
* You're Right Where (Beth)
* Once (Beth)
* Double-Wide (Beth)
* Home By Now (Beth)
* Got The Time (Joe Jackson)
* Bound (music: Beth/Rob Cairns, lyrics: Beth)
* My Glass Eye (Beth)
* Birmingham (music: Rob Cairns, lyrics: Beth)
* Done (Beth)
* Eleanor Rigby (Paul McCartney/John Lennon)

Film and TV

Beth has contributed songs to several TV programmes and films:

* Between - produced by Opus Films [http://www.opusfilms.com/] — "You're Right Where"
* Scrubs - Season 1 DVD — "I Will Lie"
* Trollz.com Web site — "Break U N 2" and "Sunshine and Celluloid"
* Beautiful People - Episode 102 on ABC Family — "Go Baby Go"
* The Perfect Man - Hilary Duff movie — "If You Got What You Came For"
* Book of Ruth [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390941/] - CBS movie of the week — "It's a Cruel Thing"
* It Must Be Love [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369003/] - CBS movie of the week — "I Will Lie"
* The Chris Isaak Show - Episode 303 — "I Will Lie"
* Felicity Season 4 DVD — "I Will Lie"
* Thieves [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0262994/] on ABC — "Girl in Uniform"
* New Ride with Josh and Emily - M5 Entertainment — "Sunshine and Celluloid"
* Dawson's Creek - Season 2 DVD —"You Made It So"

Links

* Official Site: http://www.beththornley.com
* ASCAP Audio Portrait: http://www.ascap.com/audioportraits/beth_thornley.html
* Podshow Network: http://www.podshow.com/music/?artist_id=3341
* MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/beththornley
* Audio Interview: http://conforme.podemus.com/2006/08/