Who Is Elvie Shane? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music
Who is Elvie Shane? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…
This week our spotlight shines on Broken Bow Records recording artist, Elvie Shane. The singer-songwriter released his debut EP County Roads last month and his debut single “My Boy” just broke into the top 25 on the country charts. We chatted with the singer about his whirlwind few months and all the work he has put in to get to this point.
A Kentucky native, Shane never lived a day without music in his life, yet never dreamed that it would be his career. “My mom likes to say I was born on a Sunday and the following Sunday she had me in church,” adding, “The first week out of the hospital I was exposed to music on a weekly basis, or even a daily basis, listening to 90s country in the car with my mom.” As the singer reminisces about his childhood he labels those Sundays as probably “the most monumental days as far as music goes in [his] life.”
Shane quickly found a love for 90s country, but he credits his family for his diverse musical taste. His dad introduced him to classic rock, the grittier side of country music, southern rock, and even The Temptations. “I was just exposed to a lot of different stuff from R&B to Rock and Roll, to Country, to Gospel music, and that was pretty much in one Sunday, every Sunday of my life.” Specifically, the singer shared a love for John Fogerty, Steve Earl, and even appreciates the harmonies in groups like Boyz II Men, a group his mother took a liking to.
Eventually, his love of music and his faith led him to play in a band with other churchgoers until he left home to attend college. While in college, the singer played gigs at bars and remembers writing music, but after meeting his now wife, he admits he hung his guitar up for a few years. Thankfully, the singer got back out on the music scene a few years later, after he met some of his wife’s friends, who had a band. Shane ended up opening up for them early in his career.
Despite his clear talent and the encouragement of his friends and family to head to Nashville to write and try to ‘make it,’ the singer was hesitant. “I wasn’t really connecting with what was going on in country music at a time,” he begins, before sharing the event that actually changed his mind, “But one night Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake ended up on stage together at CMAs and I’d been a Stapleton fan forever ’cause he’s another Kentucky boy. […] It’s probably one of the most incredible performances that we will ever hear.”
Shane went on to share his internal dialogue after watching the iconic performance, which solidified his desire to head to Nashville. “If these two different worlds can blend in such a way then there has to be a place for me in country music somewhere,” he thought. Moments later, his buddy, who has been trying to convince him to come to Nashville to write called him, and he finally agreed to take the leap.
Shortly after coming to Nashville, Shane scored a publishing deal; however, after he wrote his now debut single “My Boy,” record deals started calling. The singer eventually signed with Broken Bow Records, and just recently put out his debut EP County Roads. The record was inspired by the coming of age years in life. “What better way to relate to people is to try to focus on those years, the first loves, love lost, love found, where I grew up, how I grew up.”
Although all the songs on the record are spectacular in their own rights, “My Boy” is the current fan favorite. Written during what Shane calls “a God moment,” the single went viral on Facebook and then viral on TikTok three years after it was initially written. Ironically the singer was worried about making “My Boy” his single, but eventually, he came to his senses realizing, “What better time in history in music to put a song about love and family than a time when we’re stuck in the house together, so we put it out, and here we fit.” We agree!
At the end of our conversation, Shane made sure to let us know that he will be hitting the road as much as possible this year. He even hinted at touring with both male and female artists in “the same realm as [he] is in country music.” It is only a matter of time until Shane is on a stage near you and releasing even more new music!
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Elvie Shane’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.