Shelby Lynne
5-29-2014
Born to be a singer Shelby Lynne was raised in rural Alabama by musical parents who stressed individuality and the importance of standing apart from others. A terrible student, but avid reader, she loved the written lyric and a beautiful melody. Around the house she was surrounded by country music from the past, Hank Williams, Dottie West, Waylon Jennings and old 45's that belonged to her parents stacked high with Everly Brothers, Beatles, Elvis. The harmonies that came so naturally to her from such an early age stemmed from her mother, a naturally gifted singer who guided her while riding to school on cold Alabama mornings with her younger sister Allison, singing three part harmonies in the car to pass the time.
She started playing guitar by age seven, and later, married to her high school sweetheart, and with dreams of country music success in mind, they moved to Music City. She was offered a record deal at CBS Records where legendary producer Billy Sherrill came out of semi retirement to produce her first record. It included a duet with country legend George Jones, who praised Lynne's ability to "own a song at such an early age."
After five albums in Nashville, Lynne enlisted Bill Bottrell, who produced Michael Jackson, Madonna, and had big success with Sheryl Crow on the highly successful Tuesday Night Music Club. The album, "I Am Shelby Lynne," was recorded in 1998 to immediate success and she was awarded the Best New Artist GRAMMY® in 2000 - after nearly 13 years in the business. "Love, Shelby" was released in 2001, followed by a pair of intimate, self-produced albums – "Identity Crisis" (2003) and "Suit Yourself" (2005). She made her acting debut in 2005, playing Johnny Cash's mother in the motion picture "Walk the Line." "Just a Little Lovin’," her critically acclaimed tribute to Dusty Springfield, was released in 2008.
Lynne recently founded her own label, EVERSO RECORDS and "Tears, Lies, And Alibis," EVERSO’s first release, debuted at No. 16 on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums chart in April of 2010. A Top 10 hit at Americana radio, it was hailed by Newsday as “her strongest album in a decade,” a sentiment echoed by numerous critics. She followed "Tears, Lies, And Alibis" with her first-ever holiday collection, "Merry Christmas," released in the fall of 2010.
"Revelation Road," Shelby’s most personal record, was released in 2011. And in November of 2013 she released "Thanks," of which Mother Jones Magazine says "Her sultry, commanding voice has rarely been more effective than on these bracing country-soul tunes…’Walkin’ closes the proceedings on an exuberant gospel note, casting a warm glow that invites instant replay.”