Aaron Hendra

Aaron Hendra is an Australian-born singer, songwriter and guitarist. Songwriting credits include the hit single “Don’t Let It End”, recorded by Aussie superstar John Farnham, featured on the multi-platinum album Romeo’s Heart (BMG, Australia). Hendra has also written songs for Hollywood feature films including “Slightly Single in LA”, “Officer Down” and the Machine Gun Preacher anthem “One Man’s War”. In May 2014, his debut album OCTOBERSONG was released on the independent label Give Records. Hendra and his band The Project are currently performing shows across the US and worldwide. Early Years Hendra’s songwriting career began in 1996 after dropping off a song demo to the record label office of Aussie superstar, John Farnham. Six weeks later, Farnham personally called the aspiring writer to let him know that he loved the song and planned to record it. “Don’t Let It End” was featured on the multi-platinum album Romeo’s Heart. In 1999 Hendra co-wrote “Somebody Like You” with Mushroom Records artist Jimmy Christo. It went on to be featured as the end title cut for the Australian major motion picture comedy release titled “The Wog Boy” (2000). Shortly after, Hendra traveled to the US for meetings with record labels to push a band he had formed (SUPANATURAL) with bassist and sibling Russell Hendra, and successful touring guitarist Ben Carey (Savage Garden, Lifehouse). Although still what the industry would term a baby band, they managed to grab the attention of the then head of A&R for Hollywood Records, Rob Cavallo, who immediately offered them a deal. After signing, the group relocated to Los Angeles, CA and spent 2001 in production. A nine track demo CD written and produced by Hendra had excited not only Cavallo but many of the other execs at the label. Tumultuous months followed however, and unable to find the right producer to guide the project and help the young band navigate the process of making an album, they began to languish. This, combined with numerous key staff changes at Hollywood Records, resulted in the worst-case scenario for the young band and at the end of 2001, they were left with an unfinished album and no label. During their initial showcases, the group had made great impressions with several other labels including Warner Bros. Hendra and band mate Ben Carey spent 2002-03 working with A&R at Warner, signing a development deal that helped them during this time. Unwilling to throw in the towel, the band, now called OCIANIC continued to book gigs and look for opportunities in Los Angeles. In 2004 the group pressed a thousand copies of their indie CD release titled “U”. Ultimately Warner Bros. passed on offering the group a full deal and soon after the band parted ways with brother Russell Hendra moving back to Australia, and Ben Carey taking a touring gig with Lifehouse. In February 2004, Hendra married TV Host and Actress Tiffany Hendra, and while continuing to develop his writing and performing skills, took a construction job stay afloat financially. “Whenever having a career in music began to look impossible, a new door would open. This inspired me to keep going to the point where it almost seemed crazy, but from an early age, I truly believed I could write hit songs and was determined to finish what I had started,” Hendra says. In late 2007, a serendipitous meeting with entrepreneur Rick St George led to the second chance Hendra had been hoping for. “Not only did I finally get the chance to finish this album, I got to do it in a world class way,” explains Hendra. Greatly boosted by St. George’s backing and belief, Hendra was able to quit his construction job and assemble a new team around his music and vision. A state-of-the-art studio in Beverly Hills became the new headquarters for Hendra’s new independent label Give Records. 2009 to Now In past bands Hendra, always being the sole songwriter, had amassed a wealth of material varying in completion from fully mixed, ready for release tracks, to scratchy heartfelt demos. After sifting through the entire unreleased catalogue the new team began the process of selecting the songs that had stood the test of time. A year or two earlier Hendra had re-connected with Gigi Gonaway, a veteran touring drummer introduced to him by friend and former band mate Ben Carey. Although unavailable in the past due to touring commitments with the Mariah Carey band, Gonaway had always shown interest in collaborating and had been supportive during the tougher times . “I remember seeing Gigi play at a small gig in Hollywood and thinking he was the most entertaining drummer I had ever seen,” explains Aaron. “We instantly became friends but didn’t join forces until years later.” Gonaway had always been a fan of the songs, and with timing now on their side, the two forged a new collaboration calling it The Aaron Hendra Project. Gonaway has an impressive list of career credits. His main gig for sixteen years was touring as Mariah Carey’s drummer in a band lineup that included world-renowned musician and more recently judge on American Idol, Randy Jackson. Gonaway has also recorded with superstars such as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Steve Winwood and Eric Martin. “I recall Aaron coming to my house in Arizona in 2007 and saying, I have a couple of songs I want to run by you. I was floored and touched by the emotion and realized instantly there was something very special in our musical connection and calling”, Gonaway says. In 2009 the drummer relocated to Los Angeles and work on the album began. “For two years we all lived at this amazing compound and were able to live, eat and breathe this album”, say Gonaway. “We had so much fun and, musically speaking, from my entire career so far, this is the work of which I am most proud.” Described by Hendra as a greatest hits album the world is yet to hear, Octobersong is the ticket to what he has always known was his destiny. The title track was inspired by the second chance he was given through meeting label partner Rick St. George. “Finally getting to complete my album in such an extraordinary setting more than made up for earlier disappointments”, explains Hendra. St George scoured LA and eventually found a secluded compound located in Beverly Hills just off the Sunset Strip. The new team, joined by legendary sound engineer Dave Ahlert, transformed the historic mansion into a state of the art studio and production began. Producer credits were shared with Rob Hill (Korn, Cypress Hill), who joined the team in 2010 to help round out and complete the sound. The team then traveled to Miami to have the songs mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Tom Lord-Alge (U2, Coldplay). “Tom took what we’d done to a whole new level,” Hendra says. “He really put his heart and soul into it.” On May 7, 2014 the debut album OCTOBERSONG was released worldwide by Give Records with digital distribution through The Orchard. It features eleven tracks written by Aaron Hendra. Although Hendra and Gonaway supplied all guitars and drums, a collection of other notable musicians added weight. Rami Jaffee (Foo Fighters, Wallflowers), Marcus Brown (Seal, Madonna) and Jamie Muhoberac provided piano, keyboards and B3 on many of the recordings while Bass contributions on several songs came from Paul Bushnell (Tim McGraw) and Dorian Heartsong. Another highlight came via tracks recorded years earlier by a special twenty-four piece ensemble of string players made up of members of the LA Philharmonic. These strings, preserved from original tracks and flown in to the new versions, were arranged and conducted by David Campbell and recorded by Allen Sides at former the Cello Studios in Hollywood. After a year and a half of production at Give Studios in Beverly Hills, mixing by Tom Lord-Alge at South Beach Studios followed and finally mastering by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NYC brought the album to completion. The Project spent 2013-14 performing all over the world, touching hearts and minds matching their powerful songs with an equally powerful mission. “We want to use the gift of music and what we do to help those in this world who can’t help themselves,” Hendra says. image Humanity In 2010, Sam Childers, the man known as the “MACHINE GUN PREACHER,” visited Give Studios, in Los Angeles, in order to meet Aaron Hendra. Childers explained his remarkable transformation from violent, drug dealing criminal, to man of faith, and his ongoing battle to save children in one of the world’s most lawless areas. Childers and his organization, Angels of East Africa, provide shelter to children who have been rescued or who have escaped the likes of Joseph Kony, leader of Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army (”LRA”) in the war-torn areas of South Sudan and Northern Uganda. “I was so blown away by his story, I woke up that night dreaming the words to “One Man’s War.” We knew we couldn’t finish the song without going to Africa and recording the voices of the actual children Sam has rescued,” Hendra explains. Several months later, Aaron Hendra and Gigi Gonaway traveled to Nimule, South Sudan, to visit Sam Childers’ Children‘s Village and to record some 300 children as they sang the end chorus of “One Man’s War.” Now an anthem touching many people around the globe, “One Man’s War” has become AHP’s mission song. “As we go on tour, our goal is get a million people from all over the world to download this song – every cent, every purchase will go to directly support the 300 children that sing on the end of this song, and many more like them,” Hendra says.