From the category archives:
This past month I competed in the West Coast Songwriter’s monthly songwriting competition… I won!
I played two songs that I’ve been working on for my second album. The song that won is called “Jonny Know”. In August I will compete against all of the monthly winners from Sacramento. If I win our region, I go on to compete against all of the other regional winners. Wish me luck! 
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I recently started working on my second album again…
I know I know… I’ve been pretty bad at working on it.
Luckily this year I made a goal to finish it. So far I’ve written a few new songs and compiled a list of over 30 songs that I’ve been working on and cutting down. That’s obviously way too many songs for one album, but it gives me the ability to pick and choose my best songs and make sure the album has a cohesive theme and songs that have different styles.
I will continue to update you on my progress
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I recently posted on YouTube my cover of “Only Hope” from “A Walk to Remember.” My version is similar to the version originally in the movie performed by Mandy Moore. Switchfoot also has a version of the song.
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This is an acoustic version of track #3 from my debut Album “When We Started”. The song itself is entitled “The Cure”. Enjoy!
Live Acoustic Version of The Cure by Jon Pinney
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While I was on my date with The Mormon Bachelorette, she asked me to play her a song. So I played her a new song I recently wrote, entitled More. This is currently the only recording of this song, and I didn’t actually realize they’d be posting it on YouTube. So since they did, I figured I’d post it here as well so you could see some of the new music I’ve been working on.
You’ll notice that the camera work is a little crazy (that’s because they weren’t planning on posting it either, and Larry the camera guy was just trying to get a couple shots to include in the highlight video of the date). Also, I may have messed up slightly, but just pretend like you didn’t hear it lol. You’ll also get to see a couple shots from the date itself. Anyway, I’d love to know what you think of the song – it will most likely end up on my new album. Enjoy!
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So I redid my website again
I decided that I wanted to highlight my debut album and remind everyone that I am a musician (just in case you forgot lol ).
I released my album “When We Started” in June of 2008. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to it, please hop on over to iTunes or MySpace.
All of the songs on the album are original music written by yours truly. They are also fully produced (with a full band). I was lucky to work with Jake Joyner, Jordan Kester, Paul Bates, and Ryan Lindow in the recording and arranging of the songs on the album. They are all great musicians in their own right, and it was great to work with them.
From Left: Paul Bates, Jon Pinney, Jordan Kester, Jake Joyner at Harlow's July 2008
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This week I covered Closer by Ne-Yo. I used to hear this song on the radio and I was never sure who sang it but I always loved it. So, I have decided to do my own acoustic version. I hope you enjoy
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This week I decided to cover Mad World by Gary Jules and Adam Lambert. This song was originally written and performed by Tears for Fears, and has since been covered by Gary Jules (on the Donnie Darko soundtrack) and Adam Lambert (on American Idol). Here I give you my acoustic version.
Mad World
Written by Roland Orzabal
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to takeWhen people run in circles it’s a very, very
Mad World, Mad world
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it’s a very, very
Mad World
Mad World
Enlarging your world
Mad World
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This week I covered a song by George Michael called Careless Whisper. (I actually never knew that was its name till this week… I always referred to it as Never Gonna Dance Again). Either way, this song has one of the most memorable saxophone riffs in history, and was super successful. I read this week that it went #1 in 25 different countries. It is an excellent song. I hope you enjoy my version of it.
Careless Whisper
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley
I feel so unsure as I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor.
As the music dies something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all its sad goodbyes.
Chorus
I’m never gonna dance again
guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool.
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’d been given.
So I’m never gonna dance again
the way I danced with you.
Time can never mend the careless whispers of a good friend.
To the heart and mind ignorance is kind.
There’s no comfort in the truth, pain is all you’ll find.
Chorus
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd.
Maybe it’s better this way
We’d hurt each other with the things we want to say.
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who’s gonna dance with me? – Please stay.
Chorus
No dance
no dance
no dance
you’re gone – no dance
you’re gone.
This matter is so wrong
so wrong
that you had lo leave me alone.
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This week I wanted to cover something a little more unexpected, so I covered one of my favorite Rihanna songs: Don’t Stop The Music. Every time I hear this song it makes me want to dance. Plus, I saw Rihanna in person when she was on tour with Kanye West, and she is, in my opinion, one of the best and most natural stage performers I have ever seen. It also helps that a lot of her music is highly danceable and very catchy.
Rihanna Don’t Stop The Music Lyrics
Written by Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Tawanna Dabney, and Michael Jackson
Please don’t stop the music (4x)
It’s gettin’ late
I’m making my way over to my favorite place
I gotta get my body moving shake the stress away
I wasn’t looking for nobody when you looked my way
Possible candidate (yeah)
Who knew
That you’d be up in here lookin’ like you do
You’re makin’ stayin’ over here impossible
Baby I must say your aura is incredible
If you don’t have to go don’t
Do you know what you started
I just came here to party
But now we’re rockin’ on the dance floor
Acting naughty
Your hands around my waist
Just let the music play
We’re hand in hand
Chest to chest
And now we’re face to face
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can’t refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin’ to it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can’t refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin’ to it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music
Baby are you ready cause its getting close
Don’t you feel the passion ready to explode
What goes on between us no one has to know
This is a private show (oh)
Do you know what you started
I just came here to party
But now we’re rockin’ on the dance floor
Acting naughty
Your hands around my waist
Just let the music play
We’re hand in hand
Chest to chest
And now we’re face to face
I wanna take you away
Let’s escape into to music
DJ let it play
I just can’t refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin’ to it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can’t refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin’ to it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music
Ma ma say, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa
Ma ma say, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa (5x)
Please don’t stop the music (2x)
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can’t refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin’ to it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can’t refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin’ to it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music
Ma ma say, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa
Ma ma say, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa
Please don’t stop the music
Ma ma se, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa
Ma ma se, ma ma sa
Ma ma coo sa
Please don’t stop the music
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