ISSA FEATURED ARTIST FOR MAY 2023
BRENDA BEST
Brenda Best – is a Nashville award-winning singer/songwriter and entertainer. The American Society of Composers Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) awarded her with a 2011 and 2012 ASCAP+ Award. She’s a four-time Nashville Independent Music Award winner (NIMA 2012, 2013); In 2015, she was inducted into The Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame New Brunswick (NBCMHOF). She’s a member of The Country Music Association (CMA), The Gospel Music Association (GMA), Nashville Songwriter Association International (NSAI), and a voting member of The Recording Academy (The Grammys)
RECORDINGS: Her most recent single released in 2023 “Speak Your Name” written by Brenda Best is a Contemporary Christian song. It dropped on Easter weekend on all streaming platforms. Her previous album, available at her LIVE shows titled “The Best of Brenda Best” is a compilation with 16 songs; a collection of her ‘best’ from 2016 through 2001. The album offers a great variety of music of different genres all written by Best filled with country music and some pop and country mix. Here’s a link to purchase:https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/brenda-best/id257741968 In 2011, she released an 11-song album titled “Facebook Friend” that won an award for “Album of The Year” at The 6th Annual Nashville Independent Music Awards (NIMA) 2012. That night, she was awarded: 1) Best Country Solo Artist (female); 2) Best Country Performer; and 3) Album of The Year. It was the first time a Country Music Artist was recognized for Album of the Year at the NIMAs, considering in the previous years, other musical genres would always take top prize. The many layers of Best are revealed in Facebook Friend showcasing versatility with lyrics based on modern times with songs about Texting & Driving, “Unnecessary Obligations”, and songs to motivate, “A New Year, A New Me”. In April 2012, Brenda’s original lyrics to her ASCAP award-winning song “Golden Years” were framed and donated to a charitable event as an auction item to raise money for a Cancer Benefit Concert.
In October 2012, Brenda Best released a single titled “100% Cotton” along with a Music Video. Cotton received airplay and good reviews on indie radio stations in the USA and abroad. The video was nominated at The 7th Annual NIMAwards where she won “Best Country Solo Artist (female). In 2017, Brenda Best won another title and was awarded with the “Soaring Musical Career at the 2017 Josie Music Awards.
Download her NEW Release 2023: “Speak Your Name” at AppleMusic: https://music.apple.com/us/album/speak-your-name-single/1681176807
GRAMMYs: A Christian music song that Best wrote titled “Checking Up On Your Behavior” was digitally released Internationally and was on the Ballot of Consideration for a Nomination at The 57th GRAMMY Awards (Feb.8, 2015). Based on a true story written by Best inspired by an autistic boy who shared an inspirational message with her. This attempt for a Grammy Award was followed by another song, this time, a co-write titled “Growing Old” that made its way on an Children’s RAP Album titled “Kid Problems” and recorded by Atlanta Artist MUGS-A-MILLION and recognized in the 59th Grammy Awards in the Best Children’s Album category.
Looking back at the beginning of her professional career in music, it all started in 1999 in Nashville Tennessee. She competed in USA Networks “Nashville Star in 2004 and was one of the top 33 Finalists. Since then, she continues to write songs, perform live at Honky Tonks and Concert venues. If you plan to see her LIVE performances, click for show dates: https://www.brendabest.net/events/ Most all her songs can be found on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, CD Baby, and YouTube.
MOVIES & TV Series:
2006 Drama film starring Michael W. Smith “The Second Chance” playing patron in restaurant during dinner engagement.
2010 Drama film starring Gwyneth Paltrow & Tim McGraw “Country Strong” playing a front row fan at concert.
2013 TV Series on ABC network “Nashville” season 2, Ep. 2, 4, 7. as an extra.
2022 Made-for TV Movie titled: “A Nashville Country Christmas” . Playing guitar is what she does “Best”. Watch Brenda Best play a small part in the finale of the movie starring country music icon Tanya Tucker and Oscar winning actor Keith Carradine. The movie premiered December 12th 2022 on CMT, Paramount +, PHILO, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video. This family friendly (Hallmark type) movie may air again during the Christmas season every year. Watch for it!
MUSIC VIDEOS:
Brenda Best plays a part in one of Blake Shelton’s music video “HOME” (time: 2:49 & 2:57) Watch official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkoT1nZOexY
Brenda is part of the gang in a Brad Paisley’s music video “Mud On The Tires” in 2003 that reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Note Country Songs.
Best played a bar patron dressed in traditional garb costume in Catherine Britt’s 2004 Billboard Hot Country Song “The Upside of Being Down” music video.
During the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, The Indie Collaboration Music Project released a positive message song “We’ll Stay Together” written by Billboard Top 10 singer/songwriter Grant Maloy Smith, featuring 100 musicians/artists from around the World. You can watch Brenda Best appear twice in this global music video: https://youtu.be/KEh-y1anx7U
LIVE VENUES:
In 2019, a featured entertainer/invited guest at The 58th Tootsies Birthday Bash on Broadway, Nashville Tennessee. Other performing artists on that stage were Kid Rock, Travis Tritt.
Also in 2019, she did a LIVE performance in NEW YORK CITY at the iconic venue The Bitter End in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.
Visiting Nashville? Be sure to catch a LIVE show at The Nashville Nightlife Theater “Best of Country Show” from March ’til December 2023. http://www.nashvillenightlife.com
