Profiles & Conversations (Executive Edits)
August 2nd, 2010
Over a decade since the visually angelic outlaw received due critical acclaim and shiny awards for her epic exposé “I Am Shelby Lynne”, the aforementioned songstress of Southern grit and essence has struck not only the jugular of the …
Don’t Call Her Country! (FAIRFIELD PATCH)
August 2nd, 2010
Shelby Lynne Brings Her Eclectic Songbook to the Fairfield Theatre Company
“I like running my own label. Even if I’m the only artist on it. It’s so much easier for me to be the one who makes decisions, than have a bunch of people who don’t know anything about music, tell me what I should be doing. I’m working on a Christmas album right now. After that, I’m hoping to make a record with my sister. When you’re on a major label, you’re lucky if you can put out one disc a year. I know the kind of music I want to make. So it makes sense that I’m calling the shots.”
If you know anything about feisty and eclectic singer/songwriter, Shelby Lynne, these words, uttered with the faintest traces of an Alabama accent, don’t come as a shock. Since her debut in 1989, Ms. Lynne has exhibited both the good manners and the “Don’t Tread On Me!” spirit of her native South. Every time the record business has tried to bag her as, say, a country singer, she’s gone and recorded John Lennon’s harrowing “Mother,” and made it even more harrowing. Or she’s done an entire album of songs made famous by soul legend Dusty Springfield.
Trying to pigeonhole her would be a losing proposition.
Lynne brings her gorgeous voice, acoustic guitar and savagely-honest songs (most recently appearing on her self-released “Tears, Lies And Alibis”), to the Fairfield Theatre Company on Saturday.
August, as we all know, is hot as blazes. But Shelby Lynne has that Christmas album on her mind.
“I’ve always wanted to do a record for Christmas. If I was still on a major label, they probably wouldn’t have let me. Or they’d have interfered somehow. I’ve written some original songs for it and done some covers, but the sessions were a joy. I’ve never understood why other artists always say it’s so hard to do Christmas songs when the weather’s warm or whatever. It’s ridiculous. It’s no different than making any other sort of record.”
When asked about her fabled Best New Artist Grammy, in 2000 (right person, wrong category), Lynne is typically tough and practical.
“Sure it was strange to win in that category, like, 13 years after I started recording. But getting a Grammy is really helpful in business terms. First, it’s nice to know that people in the industry have voted for you. But it also helps to promote your name. In some ways you need to be a known commodity in our business. So, if more people know my name, because of the award, and come to my shows, it’s a good thing.”
If you know Lynne, all the attitude and rebel-yell defiance are cool, but what you ultimately care about is the music. On her latest record, she once again serves up songs that mix soul music, pure pop and country in ways that may baffle radio programmers, but thrill fans who don’t need to be spoon-fed sounds one recognizable mouthful at a time. Check out the almost Beach Boys-y “Rains Came,” or the Dusty-In-Memphis groove of “Why Didn’t You Call Me?” and know that every confused playlist geek’s loss is our gain.
And don’t call her country!
“My first big hit was a duet with (country legend) George Jones. As much as it got things started for me, I think it may have confused some listeners. Obviously, I love that kind of music, but I don’t think of myself as a country singer.”
As for the future? Well, there’s that album that Lynne wants to do with her sister, singer/songwriter Allison Moorer. But mostly she has her sights set on letting the people know who she really is and what she actually does.
“I’m always a little surprised, that people come out to see me, knowing my name, but not much about the kind of music I sing. I think playing at a small theatre, just me and my guitar, is a great opportunity to change that. With luck, the people that come because of curiosity, or the Grammy, will leave as something else. Fans, hopefully.”
Shelby Lynne performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St., Fairfield. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $42, and FTC members save $10 per ticket. For information, check the Web site, www.fairfieldtheatre.org
Shelby Lynne takes the road less traveled (Goldmine Mag)
July 19th, 2010
Original Link
By Lee Zimmerman
Tough, tenacious and unwavering in her determination, Shelby Lynne doesn’t mince words.
That’s especially true when she’s describing the trajectory that began when she unveiled her new album, “Tears, Lies & Alibis,” to Lost Highway, the record company that she had been contracted to. To her dismay — and disgust — they promptly rejected it, insisting she employ a big-name producer. Lynne responded by giving notice of her intention to release the record on her own, and promptly went about creating her own label, Everso Records, as its springboard.
Sassy and soulful, yet surprisingly introspective, it eschews the fussy arrangements that occasionally cluttered her earlier efforts. The settings are deliberately stripped down, owing more to genuine sentiment than a slicker sound.
Of course, anyone who’s followed Lynne’s career over the past couple of decades knows that she’s never been hesitant to follow her muse, no matter what direction it takes her. Her albums have veered from traditional country and pure pop to Americana, jazz, swing, soul and blues.
Even after her big breakthrough, the aptly titled “I Am Shelby Lynne” released in 2000, she’s never stopped experimenting in her quest to fulfill her own artistic ambitions. At the same time, she’s managed to retain a fierce following and garner the accolades of the industry in general, affirmed by the fact she won the Country Music Association Horizon Award early on, and, somewhat belatedly, a Best New Artist Grammy, as well.
Goldmine had the opportunity to speak with Shelby and elicit her reaction to becoming newly independent.
You’ve always seemed intent on pursuing your own muse.
Shelby Lynne: I haven’t had any choice. If I’m making music, how can I make something I don’t believe in? At the end of the day, I’ve been given the privilege of the greatest thing on Earth. I get to sing for a living, and there are people out there who want to hear it, and by God, I’m going to make the best records I can make and continue to make people happy. That’s the goal. “What is she?” Well, hopefully consistently good. You tell them that.
What was the final straw that made you decide you had no choice other than to sever ties with Lost Highway?
Lynne: As soon as I knew that Lost Highway wasn’t going to put out the record and I was able to walk away with the record, my business partner, manager and I said, “Let’s do this!” I mean, I certainly was not going to have another record deal. I’m over it, and it’s really not that hard.
Did you understand what the label wanted you to do?
Shelby Lynne: When you start thinking about Shelby Lynne singing about Airstream trailers (as referenced in a song on the new album), I guess they may have had a point. But you know, they can kiss my ass; I really don’t care. I have a boatload of people out there who really do want to hear what I have to say about Airstream campers, and I’ve come a long way, and it’s a beautiful thing. It’s not all about the pretty stuff. We can slick them up and make them pretty, but does that really make you want to drink whiskey and have a cold one and say, “Damn, that makes me feel something?”
So does that mean if a record label came along now and gave you a terrific offer, you wouldn’t even consider it?
Shelby Lynne: Hell no. I don’t give a damn about that. I just want to make money… and for you not to make any! (chuckles) Those days are gone. It’s time for all of us to take the music back and make a living.
It appears you’re really fed up with the record business machine. What’s at the root of your frustration?
Shelby Lynne: It’s the fact that they have all that money and they don’t want to put out records that are good. They want to put out records that will sell. It’s time for me to move on from that big machine, you know?
Nevertheless, aren’t you worried about the difficulties of going it alone?
Lynne: You just hire people to do it, and I’ve hired some good people to do that. I make the decisions, and they do the work. You say, “Well, let’s see who’s the best, let’s ask around, let’s see who so-and-so knows and who does work for them,” and then, all of a sudden, boom, somebody’s right there.
You get a plan, you throw it together and you start working. You have direct communication with everybody, every day, and that’s something you don’t get in a record company… There are a lot of people out there making music in an independent way, and they still have a great following. I’d like to join that club.
What are the advantages for you in this new setup… other than the fact that you control your own destiny?
Lynne: I know exactly what’s going on, who’s doing what, where the money’s going, is it getting in their hot little hands? And it feels great.
It’s impossible to be an artist like me on a major label and ever, ever, ever make a living on making records. You never get a chance to recoup. So that’s why I made this decision. Maybe now I can make a living selling records.
I’ve always made a living on the road and other kinds of things, like movies and licensing. But now my music is actually getting into the hands of someone who actually wants to hear a Shelby Lynne record. I feel better about getting this record heard than any other record I’ve done, because I’m in charge of it. I’m touching on all areas that I’ve never been included in before.
So is all this down to the fact that you’re finally in control of your own destiny?
Lynne: I think I know exactly where I’m going. I’ve taken the trip. It’s just now I’m writing the checks. I’m happy with the decision. I don’t have a problem making all the decisions. The only difference is I don’t have to wait on somebody to return my calls. That is a good thing.
How is it working out so far?
Lynne: You know what’s crazy? Everybody that I’ve met and everybody that’s signed on to do this thing with me, it’s like a whole different animal in just the way you can get things done and not have to go through countless phone calls and e-mails. I can actually get an answer in a day. I say, “I want to do this, so let’s call somebody who can get it done, and how much does it cost, and here we go.” It’s really so much easier!
And you’re not worried that you might have bitten off more than you can chew?
Lynne: I’m not concerned about any of that. No, no, no. I have a consistent career and I’ve worked very hard for my name. I have a loyal base and it grows day by day. I’ve been doing it for 20 years, so it’s time for a break from the corporate machine that can really allow you to be unhappy if you let it.
Shelby Lynne: No Lies (PopCultureClassics.com)
July 6th, 2010
Shelby Lynne’s latest brilliant album is titled “Tears, Lies and Alibis.” Those are three things not in this Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s repertoire. She prefers a strong, honest, no-excuses approach…
Shelby Lynne (The Desert Sun)
July 5th, 2010
Singer Shelby Lynne discusses new album, changes in lifestyle
Lynne found her own path after leaving record label
Bruce Fessier • The Desert Sun • July 4, 2010
“Shelby Lynne arrives for an interview at Starbucks at The River with the enthusiasm of a kid going to the dentist…”
Shelby Lynne On The Radio THIS Saturday (June 26th)
June 23rd, 2010
Hear Shelby’s latest radio interview with Kevin” Big Kev” Ploghoft, Music Director of WXLV 90.3″The X,” in the Allentown Pa Area market. He will be re-airing his two hour interview with Shelby this Sat.June 26th 2010 from 2-4pm EST on The Big Country Revue at www.wxlvradio.com .Hear the latest music from “Tears,Lies,and Alibi’s”.as well as some ol’ favorites !.Hear her talk about “The Swamp Fox”, some of the many duet partners she has worked with, what she ALWAYS keeps in her fridge, and MORE !! Tune in this Sat June 26th 2-4pm EST on www.wxlvradio.com.
Shelby On Icon Fetch (Online) – Airs Tonight @ 9PM
June 22nd, 2010
Shelby’s interview with Icon Fetch will stream live and then be available anytime after that for streaming at www.iconfetch.com Enjoy!
TUNED IN to SHELBY LYNNE
June 7th, 2010
Her talent is as versatile as the accolades she has earned. She is a Grammy Award winning artist, writer, and accomplished actress. Performances such as her …
Interview: Shelby Lynne (Austin American Statesman)
May 19th, 2010
Shelby Lynne’s “Tears, Lies and Alibis” aches (“Alibi”) and escapes (“Something to Be Said”) with sunrise elegance. The Grammy winner and recent major label defector previewed her most seamless collection two months ago at South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival. “We always like Austin, and it’s one of our great music cities…”
Shelby Lynne Does It Her Way (Washington Examiner)
May 11th, 2010
“…Lynne’s album is one of the most powerful new releases this year.”
Shelby Lynne Featured in LA Times Magazine (5/2 Issue)
May 3rd, 2010
“The irony of winning a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2001 is not lost on Shelby Lynne. After all, she’d been making records for a decade. The music-industry establishment minted her as a “hot new star,” and even though her fiercely independent stance in recent years has led to critical acclaim, it appears super stardom was never in the cards.
Lynne’s music explores a diverse range of genres and sounds. In a business that prefers its artists be a ready fit for categorization—all the better to secure airplay—Lynne doesn’t fit the mold. But her fans hardly care. Her latest release, Tears Lies and Alibis, is on her newly founded label, Everso Records, and will certainly not disappoint…”
Shelby Lynne is easy on the ears
May 2nd, 2010
… I still chuckle to this day about the affectionate remark she made that afternoon about a member of her road crew: “I love you, you sucker.” Except she used another word for “sucker.” …
Interview: Shelby Lynne – Singer, Songwriter and Producer
April 28th, 2010
Shelby Lynne managed to squeeze some time out of her busy schedule and settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry – reflecting on her departure from Nashville, her new-found independence, and the 10th Anniversary of I Am Shelby Lynne.
Concert Preview: Q&A With Shelby Lynne About Tears, Lies And Alibis
April 27th, 2010
“I don’t really care for labels, and I think that’s partly what’s wrong with music these days,” Lynne says.
Shelby Lynne Goes Her Own Way in Search of Truth, Lone Justice (Huffington Post)
April 21st, 2010
After years of wrangling with record company executives, the soulful singer-songwriter with the smooth pipes and bricklayer mentality is a solo artist in every sense of the word.
Read Full Article
Shelby Lynne ends drought with ‘Tears, Lies, and Alibis’ (The Mobile Press-Register)
April 15th, 2010
Shelby Lynne said that after working on an album of Dusty Springfield songs, it took her some time to regain her own songwriting voice.
An interview with… Shelby Lynne (No Depression)
April 12th, 2010
Shelby Lynne will release a new record next week titled Tears, Lies and Alibis. I’ve always been a big fan of Lynne’s and bought every record since I Am Shelby Lynne, her breakout hit from quite a few years ago. I particularly loved her last album, the Dusty Springfield tribute Just A Little Lovin’.
Her latest is a wonderful synthesis of the many strengths she’s honed over the past few albums. However, I think Tears, Lies and Alibis is her finest set of songs to date, complemented from some lovely and understated production courtesy of Lynne herself.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Lynne last week…
Shelby Lynne Talks With Us About New Album (Roughstock)
April 12th, 2010
When Shelby Lynne went into the studio to record her latest album Tears, Lies and Alibis there was one major difference.
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