Brett Michael Dennen (born October 28, 1979)[2][3][4][5] is an American folk/pop singer-songwriter from Central California.

[citation needed] He majored in sociology and philosophy,[7] with goals of becoming an educator, a teacher, or a community worker.

[14] He also began writing music with friends, and he eventually established a jam band, playing mandolin alongside an acoustic guitarist, bassist, hand drummer, and flutist.

"[6][7] After graduating college and remaining in Santa Cruz, Dennen moved to Los Angeles to perform.

[7] Dennen has been a part of The Mosaic Project, a San Francisco Bay Area-based nonprofit organization, since its inception.

Dennen also contributed a cover of "Private Life" to the 2006 tribute album Drink To Bones That Turn To Dust: A Toast To Oingo Boingo.

Dennen was named by Rolling Stone magazine as an "Artist to Watch," and in 2008, Entertainment Weekly called him one of its eight "Guys on the Rise".

The song "Ain't Gonna Lose You" was featured on Grey's Anatomy and topped the iTunes folk charts.

"[11] The EP Here's Looking at You Kid?, a song that he says is about "life," was originally inspired by his loyal fans over the years, but began to include his personal speculation about what fatherhood might be like.

[11] Dennen counts "great songwriters" like Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, and Van Morrison among his biggest influences.