ABOUT

An Interview with Shannon Cain:

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Southern California and West Texas. I know… it’s quite a combination. My family moved to Texas right before I started high school so my dad could finish his college degree and do graduate work. Before our move, I really knew nothing about Texas and didn’t know what to think about the move. I showed up for school in surf t-shirts and all these guys were in ropers and Wrangler jeans. But, by the time I hit college, a lot of the music and culture proved to be more my style (even the boots and pearl snaps); the slower, more deliberate pace, the genuine regard folks had for each other, and—most importantly—the love of live music. Didn’t matter what style of music, you’d see folks from all walks of life at shows; from club shows to larger venues, music seemed to be the great unifier… the common denominator. That’s probably why Texas will always feel like home.

What's your music background?

I grew up with very young parents and their LP and 8 track collections. By the time I was 5, I had my own turntable and I helped myself to a ton of great music: Led Zepplin, James Taylor, Lou Rawls. Jim Croce, Santana, The Beatles, Don McClean, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Hendrix, Leon Russell and others. In junior high there was a record shop on my way home; I’d spend hours in there looking through the rows of music, checking out the album art, listening to new arrivals over the house sound system. Every new album held so much potential and gave me such a rush. Perhaps the best example of that is when my dad brought home a B.B. King LP; I was familiar with blues, as it found it’s way into a lot of rock music, but hearing songs like “The Thrill is Gone” and “How Blue Can You Get” for the first time wrecked me. I also remember when I discovered Lyle Lovett’s first album; the writing was immaculate and the style so varied... and I was hooked. Even now, when I purchase a new CD, I can’t wait to get home and listen through the whole thing (seems I have to look to indie releases more frequently for the kind of variety and quality I hope for in an album these days). That’s the kind of musical experience I want to bring to listeners… not a single song or style but a CD that they won’t get tired of hearing.

How did you get started in music?

Dad had a guitar but, because of an old hand injury, he wasn’t able to play much. Still, I remember sneaking out of my room at night to hear him and a buddy play songs in the living room. I bought a guitar at a yard sale and learned a few songs from a book that had Beatles, Elton John, America, and Doobie Brothers songs. After picking up a few chords I started writing my own songs… kinda. Kids in my youth group would ask me to play when we went on weekend retreats or things like that but my writing and interest in performing didn’t really develop until my second year of college. At one point, my buddy, Justin, said I should put together a demo. Only problem was, I had no clue how to do that. Fortunately, I called Michael Henry Martin at Castle Sound… and he walked me through the process, becoming a mentor and friend along the way.

After the three-song demo, more attention went to my music than my classes; a dismal spring report card gave me no choice but leave school until I got things figured out. During the break, I lived with my parents outside Austin, TX, working full-time, trying to figure out what to with my life… and what to do with the demo. I won a radio talent show on a big Austin station and got a regular Friday invite, performing live at the station. Why I never thought to hand them my demo or otherwise capitalize on the momentum created by the radio interviews, I don’t know… but I think it simply shows that I wasn’t ready… not mature enough or driven enough, honestly. So I went back to school, where I played campus gigs from time to time but made studies my focus.

Fast forward seven years. Yep… seven years. In that span, I finished school, went on to grad school, got married, did paralegal training, and went to work for a private university in Dallas while I prepared for law school. But, when reading up on Intellectual Property in my night classes, I decided to pull the old demo for some classmates to hear. The response was good and, after taking the stage for the first time since 1995 (one song in a staff talent show at my university job), my wife and I decided to take a look at Nashville. Most come to this town with their A-game and see the move as a logical “next step” in their careers; I spent three days in town checking things out before we moved here but I’d played with a band only once before 2006, had never put out a CD, and could only remember the words and chords to two of my songs from my very limited catalog when I came here. I was behind the eight ball and probably would have moved back to Texas after 4 months had it not been for my wife’s faith in me. We stayed and, as a result, everything I’ve learned about the industry and about who I am—or who I don’t ever want to be—as a performing songwriter, I’ve learned since moving to Nashville three years ago. Every night I’d go out to play some writer’s round I’d be scared to death because it seemed so many people sang better, played guitar better, performed better, or wrote better songs. I was shy, didn’t know anyone, and was trying to stand out in a city full of talent when I barely had any idea of what I wanted for my music, let alone how to get there. But we worked hard and kept at it. Now I’ve got a great record label and a CD that’s going to be an absolute joy to sign. It’s time to work hard at proving to the folks who’ve shown so much faith in me that my music has staying power.

Live music?

Right before I started college, my folks moved to a community outside Austin, TX. Trips home from school meant trips to music clubs on and around 6th Street. I spent a lot of time at Antone’s and LaZona Rosa, listening to great bands like Storyville, the Ian Moore band, Reckless Kelly, and the Keller Brothers. Every night was like a religious experience... bands whose live shows surpassed their recordings and who brought an intensity to their music I’d not seen in larger arena shows that came through my old hometown in West Texas.

By getting that close to the music, I started to understand the communication and synchronicity that went into a good live show. And I saw that a lot of those guys performed night after night because they loved it. In fact, I showed up early one night at Antone’s and Tommy Shannon (one half of the legendary rhythm section known as Double Trouble) walked by. I nodded and said hi, expecting him to just nod in recognition and keep going. Instead, he smiled and asked “how’s it going, man??” Then he said something that I go back to a lot (and have even repeated to my buddies when we’re on stage): “We get to play music tonight.” He grinned and I could see he was honestly excited to be there… to play music… for me. Even now, when I get on stage I think to myself that I better leave it all up there… ever bit of heart and energy that I’ve got… because the folks who ponied up they’re hard earned money deserve that. Even with my performance schedule I spend a lot of time catching live shows and the performers who show me that same ethic are the ones I go see a second time… because they earned my respect.

Who do you listen to?

A lot of my music choices depend on mood. Plus, there are some artists who appeal to me through an album and others through live performance (some do both). I’ll break them down by album, live show, and newcomers but the list is far from complete.

Listening: Dwight Yoakam, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Storyville, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Bob Marley, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Chris Isaak, Randy Rogers Band, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Vern Gosdin, Ray Lamontagne ,Van Morrison, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Taj Mahal, Sam Cook, Otis Redding, Delbert McClinton, John Prine, David Wilcox, Chris Knight, Hayes Carll, Martin Sexton, Michael J. Martin.

Live Shows: Storyville (no longer together), Ian Moore (rocker style… not the new pop-acoustic stuff), James Govan and the Boogie Blues Band, Electric Gypsies, Pat McLaughlin, Jonelle Mosser, Jason Eady, Bonnie Bishop, Whitey Johnson, Stacie Collins.

Newcomers: Jeffrey Foucalt, Colleen MacFarland, Luke Dick, Stacie Collins, Bonnie Bishop, Jason Eady, Mando Saens, Stoney Larue, Ginn Sisters, Matt Jenkins, Adam Hood.