 By the time
Shelby Lynne won her Best New Artist Grammy, she'd
already completed six albums, and had over a decade of
recording experience under her belt. Yet in a way, the
award was appropriate, since I Am Shelby Lynne was the album
that finally found her taking control of her music,
following years of casting about in search of an identity.
Shelby Lynne's work ranged through country, blues, Southern
soul, roots rock, Western swing, jazz, and adult
contemporary pop; naturally, that eclecticism made her
difficult to market, and it also resulted in pressure to
record more commercial, radio-friendly material that didn't
really suit her. Once
Shelby Lynne put all the pieces together, she found herself
embraced not by the country mainstream, but by rock critics,
British audiences, and the alt-country/Americana crowd.
Shelby Lynne was born
Shelby Lynne Moorer in Quantico, VA, in 1968, and grew
up mostly in Jackson, AL. Her father was a local bandleader
and her mother a harmony-singing teacher, and as children,
she and her younger sister Allison -- later a country
recording artist in her own right -- sometimes joined their
parents on-stage to sing along. However,
Shelby Lynne's father was a violent alcoholic who at one point
had her thrown in jail; when
Shelby Lynne was 17, he shot his wife dead in the family's
driveway, then turned the gun on himself while his daughters
looked on.
Shelby Lynne took charge of raising her sister, and married her
high school sweetheart (albeit briefly) prior to their move
to Nashville. There,
Shelby Lynne recorded some demo songs, which landed her an
appearance on TNN's Nashville Now series. That in turn led
to a duet with
George Jones, 1988's Top 50 hit "If I Could Bottle This
Up," and a record deal with Epic, where
Shelby Lynne teamed with legendary producer Billy Sherrill for
her 1989 debut album Sunrise. The follow-up, 1990's Tough
All Over, took more of a Reba McEntire-esque direction, and
1991's Soft Talk found
Shelby Lynne moving into slick country-pop.
Shelby Lynne placed several songs on the country charts during
this period, but none managed to break into the Top 20.
Critics generally regarded her as a promising talent, and
she even won the CMA's Horizon Award (given to the year's
top emerging artist) in 1991. However, she was tiring of the
lack of control she was afforded over her image and musical
direction. She split from Epic and signed with the smaller
Morgan Creek label, debuting with 1993's Temptation, an
exercise in
Bob Wills-style Western swing and big band jazz.
Unfortunately, the label folded not long after, and she
moved on to Magnatone for 1995's Restless, which marked a
return to contemporary-style country. Afterward,
Shelby Lynne disappeared from recording for several years.
During that time, she moved to Palm Springs, CA, and
convinced producer Bill Bottrell -- best known for his early
work with
Sheryl Crow -- to work on her next album.
Shelby Lynne signed with Island Records and finally returned in
2000 with I Am Shelby Lynne. Effectively a roots rock album
with
Sheryl Crow overtones and strong hints of
Shelby Lynne's eclecticism, the record was greeted
enthusiastically in the U.K., and was released in the U.S.
several months later. Positive word of mouth led to effusive
critical praise, with many hailing I Am Shelby Lynne as a
major statement of purpose as confident as its title's
declaration. It won her a Grammy for Best New Artist in
early 2001, and she began working on a follow-up with
producer
Glen Ballard, best known for his work with
Alanis Morissette. Love, Shelby appeared later in 2001,
but was received with confusion and disappointment by many
reviewers, mainly because of its smoother, less
country-infused production. Two years later,
Shelby Lynne returned to form with Identity Crisis. Her debut
release for Capitol, it was her most sensitive album yet.
Suit Yourself appeared in spring 2005. ~ Steve Huey, All
Music Guide
Contact Grabow for more information or to book
Shelby Lynne for your next corporate or private event.
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