Shane Cooley Music

September 8th: Coyote

Marcy and Lou

Ever since I was an awkward, budding 13-year-old aspiring musician, my travels have introduced me to some amazing life-long friends. I met Marcy and Lou of Coyote playing at a pub on the beautiful island of Ocracoke in North Carolina and they kindly let me play a few songs. I have been keeping in touch with them ever since and find them to be two of the genuinely nicest people I know.

The funny thing about Marcy is that it took me years to even notice that she had faced breast cancer. She's such a beautiful, charismatic person, that it truly is impossible to notice.

There's been a movie made of her story and a 10-min trailer is on youtube.com (dead girl walking). Coyote is going "out" in support of this film and their music and message.

If you get a chance, please watch this trailer at:
YouTube - "Dead Girl Walking"

Mary and Lou, you guys are the best. Thank you for sharing.

~Shane

July 30 - August 3: Whirlpool Tour Blog 4

Not Amish Country

7/30/08
12:35am

Mike and I hit the road again for the second and final leg of my performances on the Camplified Tour. After a pep talk with the Astrovan, I felt that this adventure would prove less trying than our Pomona trip (see the Camplified 1 blog below (under "Breakdown").

Our first stop was in Norristown Pennsylvania the day before my performance in Blue Bell, which will be tomorrow morning. I somehow had gotten the impression that we were headed into Amish country, and had vain delusions of wandering around rugged countryside and making friends with simple Amish folk. We ended up in what we first thought was the Amish ghetto, but ended up to be a real ghetto. Our hotel is...shall we say...'full of character'. I chose the bed that has "Cakes" scratched prominently into the headboard. It ends up that we are nowhere near Amish country and are actually closer to Philly. After putting all of our guitars and things of value in the shower to avoid any break-in attempts, we walked down Main St to some really cool little thrift shops and cafes in what turned out to be a pretty friendly town with it's own personality. I couldn't help but feel a bit amused when Mike and I were referred to as "Yous guys" by a cafe owner asking if we were going to a Slipknot concert. I was proudly wearing my GWAR shirt, but I'm not really a Slipknot maggot. It surprises people that I'm into metal, but there is a lot of metal I dig a lot and my roommate has gotten me addicted. There's nothing better than sweet metal music on a bad day.

The Camplified staff ended up moving to a different hotel after seeing its "character" and I decided to rough it out. It's 1am and so far nothing truly sketchy has happened (I say this while knocking on the wooden "cakes" headboard. I had a late Philly Cheesesteak dinner at the mall (they were all out of 'boyguhs' and 'dawgs' but had cheese steaks), broke out some jams in the hotel room, and thought about being poetic to no avail. Norristown is a lonely, slightly impoverished place with lots of feeling to it, so I'm sure something about it will inspire me before we head to the next stop.

One thing I always notice about a town is the street lights. You really see the true character of a place at night when the only things illuminated are by artificial light. The street lights in Williamsburg where I go to college are a deep yellow that give the campus a darkness that authenticates not only its old age but tendency to have a gloomy atmosphere. Norristown's lights are similar, but are paler and less prominent, giving it a certain air of loneliness that would even deter a William and Mary ghost.

Oh, and btdubs...there's a nice bloodstain on the shower curtain.

7/31/08
1:16am

We made it. We were not murdered. In fact, Norristown proved to be a dirty place, but still a quiet town. We didn't exactly get a beauty sleep, but some Dunkin Donuts coffee made up for that.

I enjoyed this Camplified show even more than the last one. The kids were a little older and got into the music a lot more. I again performed with Michael and Marisa, who are two nice little prodigies that not only are pleasant company but put on a hell of a show for 10 and 11 year olds. They rocked out even more this time. Check them out at: Michael and Marisa

I also hung out with former American Idol contestant from season 6 Sarah Burgess (check out our goofy myspace pic in my pics), who is now an established artist with great stage presence and an all around likeable girl. It was nice talking to her and we hope to do another show together in the future. Check out the video I filmed of her at Sarah/YouTube

Also on the lineup was Alessandra Guerico, a former winner of "America's Most Talented Kid." Alessandra had ten backup dancers and put on the biggest production of the performers. Alessandra

My performance was less hot (we had a covering/tent this time) and with more energy than the Pomona show. The crowd really got into it and for "Speed of Life" I invited the other performers to come dance on stage with me. See: Speed of Life video

Before our performances I again gave guitar lessons to the kids, which was lots of fun. It was challenging to teach a group of ten mostly beginner kids an E minor and A major chord in a half hour, but surprisingly some picked up rather quickly.

I feel more like jamming than blogging now, but I will end on the chilling note that it is possible that Hannah Montana could easily take over the world. : o

8/1/08
3:22am

"Are you a rockstar?"

This is the constant question I get from the campers at the camps I have been visiting on the Camplified Tour. I'm sure some artists would reply with a big yes or others would pretend to be all humble by sayin' no. I just meekly reply with "I guess", usually followed by an awkward shrug.

Today I went to the beautiful NJY Camp in Milford, PA. I didn't perform at this camp, but came along for the ride and to help out the awesome Camplified staff. Mike and I ended up giving guitar lessons and jamming with campers for a majority of the afternoon. The kids on the Camplified tour are overwhelming in number and energy, but very fun to meet. A couple days ago I signed a kid's guitar, and he ended up being by far the most enthusiastic fan in the crowd. Today I met twins (at first I thought they were the same person because I met them at different times), one of which had the amazing name of Cookie. I also was followed to my van by a pair of tween girls, who earlier had me confirm that I was a rockstar, who in unison asked "Shane, could you take off your sunglasses for us?" I dramatically revealed to them that I do indeed hide eyes behind my aviators.

The concert went well and I met a couple of guys from the other bands. After a long, fun day of guitars, mountain lakes, pretty sunset, and a sweet show, we packed up the van and headed to my current location on Long Island, NY. It's a very nice hotel, but I can't help but wonder why there are three locks on the door...

Tomorrow is my last Camplified show. I must say I wish it had only started and I'm going to miss the people I've worked with and the overall experience. Out of the adventures I will embark on in this crazy business, Camplified is a very positive, very unique experience.

8/3/08
8:45am

My leg of the Camplified tour has come to a close, and I am now looking at the beautiful collection of hues in a Rappahannock River sunset. My last show was a great time (with plenty of fun little fan girls) and was closed with a dinner with the Camplified crew. I had really come to like the crew and was sorry to leave.

Yesterday I posted youtube videos I had filmed from the tour of the other artists. I've recently realized really like filming things and taking pictures. I'm not really great at either, but I guess what I really enjoy is documenting my adventure...thus I have this blog thingy. I met a lot of cool artists on the tour. I hung out with American Idol contestant Sarah Burgess (check out our classic myspace pic in my pics), fun little rockstars Michael and Marisa, and the quiet yet friendly Val Emmich, a singer/songwriter who also is a guest actor in 30 Rock and Ugly Betty. You can view these videos and my performances on my channel: Shane Cooley YouTibe Vids

The sunset colors flee into the Virginia twilight as I prepare to continue the Whirlpool tour to New Orleans. I'm not home much, and when I am I tend to not inform people when I am. Despite being uncomfortable in the town I grew up, my home itself is a beautiful, peaceful place. I've seen quite a few sunsets lately, but none are as pretty as the one from my own front door...though I kinda looking forward to seeing how the sun sets in New Orleans.

- Shane

July 21-22: Whirlpool Tour Blog 3

Breakdown in Pomona

7/21/08
3am

I just typed '06 instead of '08....weird. Maybe that's because I'm sitting in a hotel in New York with Mike, a friend of mine from high school, playing one of his original songs called "Please Don't Go" on an acoustic guitar. myspace/kmtguitar
Two years ago we played to 10 people at a music festival I organized at Rappahannock High, and now Mike has joined me as an extra hand on the road as I perform at a very special event called the Camplified Tour.

Camplified, Camplified, is kinda like the Warped Tour for summer camps. It's a huge production done very professionally. Basically, these summer camps (which are like...giant btw) are transformed into outdoor rock concerts with artists involved with Radio Disney and MTV. Lil ol' unsigned me was fortunate enough to be included in this tour as a featured Sonicbids winner.

Tonight we arrived in the smoggy, relatively unimpressive town of Pomona, New York and had dinner/hung out with the Camplified Staff. Our new friends say good things about the tour and are very professional. I'm tired tonight, and when I get tired...I mean actually TIRED (not a common thing for me), I get strange, and my emotions begin to not make sense. Tonight I feel suspicious of everything for some reason. This isn't exactly uncommon for me, but it hasn't happened for while. I've put up all of my barriers, and I don't exactly know why. It really has nothing to do with where I am or what I'm doing, and I really think it's mostly because I'm tired. But still, I don't quite like this uneasiness. These days it seems as though I'm always expecting foul weather.

I just helped Mike with the chords for the chorus of "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor. I bet that guy has felt uneasy a few times. He's seen a lot of rain, but sometimes the fire defeats the water.

To close the night...here's some more BAD POETRY : P

The trance of a guitar takes me
With the ease of a woman
In the full splendor of her own elevated self-confidence

I ponder over which is more dangerous
The sickeningly vague potential of my annihilation in inviting eyes
Or the siren call of hypnotist strings that I must obey

For I am musician, a brand that cannot be removed
For when there's no desire for change there's nothing one can do
To change me

7/22/08
11:28am

Well...I guess first of all...I should explain why this blog is being typed in the abandoned 'continental breakfast' area in a hotel in Pomona NY with all of our luggage next to me. I currently have no means of transportation;;;WHOOPS! Last week it was the broken down freight train I had to follow. This time, I have a broken down astrovan.

It all started with a curse...a curse I tell you. In the year 1606...a year before John Smith's arrival to Virginia...there was a Powhatan Indian who hated astrovans. 402 years later, we are in the hotel parking lot and lost power steering. The Camplified sound guys could fix it enough for us to get to the shop (yay soundguys!), but the problem was the alternator bracket had cracked. From all I have talked to about this...this is pretty rare, freak thing. So, now, after getting rides to the show and back to the hotel, we are stranded until the part arrives. My friend Mike and I have been entertaining ourselves by blogging (of course), Youtubing, and dance parties.

The Camplified show, however, is the good news portion of our adventures. Ashley from the staff was nice enough to pick us up and give us a ride to the camp. The stage was this cool gigantic fold out deal, the sound was pristine, and the kids...the kids were intense. There was a nice crowd of kids up front that just really dug being at the show and I gave lots of high fives from the stage...a hard thing to do when playing solo acoustic! I gave the kids guitar lessons before hand as well. After the show, there were 'waves' of kids coming up to the autograph table, and at one point I got mobbed for guitar picks. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing the tour next week in Pennsylvania and Long Island.

- Shane

July 12-13: Whirlpool Tour Blog 2

Slow Ride to Kenny's Castaways

7/13/08
3:39pm
So I've just returned from a very whirlwind trip to play at Kenny's Castaways in the great, slightly daunting, yet undeniably lovable city of New York. My show was scheduled to be at 8pm last night at the Greenwich Village venue that has hosted acts such as the Ramones and Blondie in the past. After leaving the train station in Williamsburg Virginia at 9:30am with an expected 5pm arrival, I was pretty confident that unless our train was hijacked by a colony of mutated squirrels or swooned to a stop by the Jonas Brothers, I would get to New York with time to spare. This, of course (because it's my luck we're talking about here), was not the case.

Perhaps the demented squirrels had gotten their greasy lil paws on the freight train ahead of us, which broke down. Then this huge graffiti covered beast attempted to back on a side track, but it was too long. Therefore, we were forced to follow this freight train at a miserable 10mph for no less than 3 and a half hours. Now, for those of you that don't know me, I'm a bit jumpy, and really uptight when it comes to my shows. I rarely get nervous, but I'm always dead set on getting everything done right and making my show a successful and enjoyable one. So...obviously I was flippin out. I kept my cool enough to look pretty calm compared to the other irritated passengers and the nice lady who was very social across the isle, but I had just about had it with this abhorrent mess. After at least 11 hours stuck on this train, I finally arrive in Penn Station New York City at 8:15pm. By then it was go time for me. I ran out of the station, flagged a cab and told the cabby to step on it to 157 Bleecker. Fortunately, he did so and I got to Kenny's by 8:25. After literally running from the cab to the venue, the bouncer wants my ID (if you read my Asbury Park blog, you'd see an annoying pattern here). I spent at least 5 minutes trying to convince the guy that I should have been on stage a half hour ago and that I was tonight's performer, and finally had to show him that I was 20 and 11 months and had no intention of drinking, just playing music. Somehow I was blessed with the next band being late and was able to do a good show for the awesome and empathetic crowd of DJ's, West Point boys, booking agents and Kenny's regulars who had been waiting. The show went really well and I was able to sell some records and catch up with some old friends.

To skip paying ridiculous money for a hotel, I had a train ride back to Virginia booked already for 3am. I spent the rest of my night eating NY pizza and people-watching. New York is a fun town, but being 20 and 11 months old, the only Saturday night buzz I got was from a bit of claustrophobia. It's always fun to watch the blitzed hipsters though, and the neon lights have a luster that only New York can truly possess. Out of all the people in that loud town, I really hope one of them took my record home and found a little peace in my music.

Anyways, I'm home now and pretty tired. Next stop on the Whirlpool tour is a cool little show across the river in Urbanna (check my schedule for more info), and back to New York for the Camplified Tour, which I will explain more about later. Now I'm going to play with photos, write some metal songs for the greatest/worst band on earth, Choking Pig, and try to go rent Batman Begins. I'm stoked about the Dark Knight peoples! Wouldn't it be weird if the Jonas Brothers were actually all Batmen and saved teenie-boppers from gross boys by night?

Love (unless you're responsible for that freight train),

- Shane

June 20-22: Whirlpool Tour Blog 1

Their Asbury Park

6/20/08
Noon-ish:
I'm at a Sheetz (WaWa's evil twin) at the Maryland border en route to Asbury Park, New Jersey, the Boss' old stomping grounds. Having already passed through "My Asbury Park," in Warsaw Virginia, I imagine that the original Asbury Park will be a lot different than my hometown. Rather than nosey gossips and tractor pulls, I envision a carnival world strewn haphazardly across a beautiful shoreline romanticized in many Bruce songs. I've already been informed that the hotel is in a safe area�..that is it is safe during daylight hours on weekdays. Despite the warnings about the copious amount of openly angry people, I'm more than excited to finally see what the Jersey shore is like. When I was younger I saw a movie called "Eddie and the Cruisers" about a Jersey band trying to make it big. The main character, Eddie, was one of my first true inspirations to be a musician. He was a dark, mysterious, handsome fellow with an unstoppable desire to do something that no one has ever done before. I thought it would be so easy to be him. After seven long years of various adventures, mishaps, and utter disappointments, I find myself struggling to do something different, to nod to my influences but invent my own sound. With the risk of a bit more sponging of the Boss, I am looking forward to witnessing the town that helped him develop his signature sound.

6/21/08
3am
Asbury Park is what a good rock n roll band should be: dangerous, flamboyant and messy, but somehow put together in a graceful, captivating way. If it had been totally refined I would have been disappointed. Instead, it is stereotypically Jersey with a nice beach and a great music scene. One thing's for sure�.these cats are hard�.I mean�you can tell they mean business. Every town with a couple guitars has a circle of cliquey music-types that make or break a local musician's reputation. Even my hometown has a few tightly knit know-it-alls. The only difference is these guys actually do know things. These Asbury cliques are serious, friendly as hell, but very keen about what they accept. And it seems they accept some really worthwhile talent. The town might be the same in many ways, but somehow I don't think the music scene was anything like this when Bruce was starting out. Maybe there were totally different cliques.

Tonight I experienced the feeling of wanting to fight for something. I'm not sure what I wanted to fight for. Perhaps I wanted to scream out to the town that I was here and wanted people to listen just once. Maybe it was just that I wanted the bouncer to let me into a venue with only two months until my 21st birthday. I dunno what it was, but it made me feel young and old at the same time. Some guy was singing about that at the Twisted Tree tonight named Todd Alsup. I had so much fight in me that I felt like there wasn't a muscle in my body that could stop moving. What made me feel old was that at the same time I knew I was powerless. Maybe I can write a few songs about it.

I really don't know about this 'true artist' business. Am I one now? Am I going to be? Does my life have to be dark and off-kilter all the time to be one? Sometimes I try to crack the code, research the great artists of the past. At the same time though, it seems that being that kind of human being all has to come naturally. Regardless of my constant worries, it's a Summer night in Asbury Park and somehow through the noise of desperate rock bands and hopeful bar hoppers I find small perfection in an imperfect town, and an imperfect life.

6/22/08
2:14am
Today I played my set at the Twisted Tree on Cookman Ave. I was not only surprised to find people that came because they had heard of me, but it became evident that there was already a buzz about "My Asbury Park" before I had ever set foot in the real Asbury Park for the first time. I was even more surprised to find out that these people somehow love and relate to this song. That's one of the things I find to be most interesting about being a songwriter. You can write something that means so much on your own personal level, but at the same time hit someone else with a totally different interpretation. Some songwriters tend to be pretentious and are quick to correct someone who takes their song a way that isn't theirs, but I personally think that makes a song ultimately stronger and more complex.

I wrote "My Asbury Park" like no other song I've ever written. The song is obviously a nod to the writing style (lyrically and musically) of Bruce Springsteen. Bruce's earlier songs had a lot of focus on the Jersey Shore in Asbury Park and surrounding areas, and tended to be about a strong desire to not get trapped in that life and ultimately become something better in that liberation. His characters usually tend to fail at these attempts. My goal was to use that style of writing to narrate my own demons in the town I went to high school in, Warsaw VA. It names the street where the girl that broke my heart lives, the bar I played at, etc. Warsaw has about four traffic lights and is made up primarily of 'rednecks.' Somehow, the people of Asbury Park have embraced this as a song that captures their hometown. At first I thought it was simply the name, but when I think about out�.it has all the elements of Bruce's songs about the area. Subjects like the girl who I loved so much it drove me insane and the romance of a struggling musician are both topics that you could find in the "Born to Run" album. Still, I find it a great honor that people as musically surrounded as the residents of Asbury Park have taken my song to heart.

2:50am
Some lame poetry...
The boardwalk lights are dim as the eyes of a waning lover. She tempts me with promises of a sunny day, Italian ice, and a sweet Jersey kiss. Tonight, the sound of wishful rock band in a beach club is muffled by the Atlantic waves, and I feel it all slipping with the tide. I feel the last embrace of the past and spy a future with arms extended Do those arms intend to apprehend me, or would a more delicate description be to hold me softly But babe you hold Atlantic sand on this Jersey Shore You may choose to not let me slip through your fingers But if you do I may surround you in the leisure of an Asbury breeze

6/23/08
5:30pm
Yesterday before bidding farewell to the Jersey Shore I took a long walk along the boardwalk. After some riot fires in the 60's, Asbury Park is a bit like a recovering war zone on the ocean front. There are some areas with absolutely beautiful Victorian houses, and other areas where there are gutted out casinos from the Jazz Age. That evening I went to see Steel Mill, one of Bruce Springsteen's first bands featuring Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez. Vini played drums on the first two E Street albums as well as part of "Born to Run." I had been in contact with Vini and sent him my song "My Asbury Park" a while back and was introduced to him and the rest of the band. Vini and company had all heard my song and liked it. These guys really rocked hard and it was a pleasure to chat with people who had been playing there for so many years.

It was a great experience to visit the real Asbury Park and meet people that really related to my song. It also gives me a whole new meaning to the song. From New York to Nash I'm spillin out my heart telling tales of my (and now their) Asbury Park.

- Shane

March 22nd, 2008

Student Life

I'm a 20 year old singer/songwriter at the College of William and Mary. I am madly in love with writing, recording and performing music. My lastest release, "Whirlpool" is currently being pushed to labels.

My life as a career singer/songwriter and a William and Mary student can sometimes be cluttered, but I can usually find a way to balance both. Music is number one to me, so if I'm not traveling to shows I tend to spend most of my time rehearsing and writing songs in my dorm room, which my roommate and I have decorated with numerous lava lamps, a disco ball, a suit of armor, and a giant bat hanging from the ceiling. When I'm not working on my own music or schoolwork, I am usually doing something for music on campus. When I somehow find free time, I usually go for nightly walks on campus, bug a few friends, and watch Conan until I either fall asleep or give up on sleep. I'm also in a Swing Dance Club, but I'm a terrible dancer.

I try to listen to a variety of music, but when it comes down to it, my favorites are the classic singer/songwriters. My new record, Whirlpool, has a lot of influence from old Bruce Springsteen records. The first cut, "My Asbury Park" is my nod to Bruce and my spin on his style of singing twisted anthems about his hometown. I'm a big fan of real records. The modern world is all about singles, but I think nothing beats an album that comes together as a coherent story. A song should always be good enough to stand alone, but I think a record should be treated as a true artistic entity. Modern records don't usually do that. I really like Death Cab for Cuties 'Plans' though. It's one of those records you feel guilty about not spinning the whole way through. I dig old jazz records like Coltrane's A Love Supreme as well. My other current obsessions are Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, The Roots, Carbon Leaf (whom I've opened for), Tom Petty, Aimee Mann, Common, The Traveling Wilburys, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and of course Bob Dylan, my first and foremost. I also like to dabble in metal such as Archenemy and Lamb of God.

January 8th, 2008

Whirlpool

WHIRLPOOL is here! Well.. almost! Physically it will be here in the next few days, but until then you can order it through Snowcap on my www.myspace.com/shanecooley (or this site on the Music Page), for $9.99 or $.89 a track. Also on myspace, for a sneak preview, you can download the first track from WHIRLPOOL for free!

If you are interested in the Whirlpool CD, you can order it by mail through my web site, www.shanecooleymusic.com or:

Shane Cooley Music
P.O. Box 474
Mollusk, VA. 22517

The CD's are $12, or you can get WHIRLPOOL and FLYING NAKED both for $20.

Whirlpool will be available on www.cdbaby.com/cd/shanecooley, www.amazon.com, and digitally on www.iTunes.com, and about 40 other digital companies, in another week.

Also by the end of the week, 4 live videos of 4 songs from WHIRLPOOL, will be on www.YouTube.com and www.myspace.com/shanecooley. These performances were recorded by Greg Wright at Lake Matoaka Amphitheater where I performed with Carbon Leaf and Promethius Clay in the Fall.

Be sure to check out 2 new sites, www.bestmusiconcampus.com and www.iLike.com for my music.

For all my Maryland and surrounding area Friends, I will be playing in College Park, MD. this Saturday, Jan. 12, at 9:45PM at EJ's Landing. It is put on by Anthem Entertainment and it is the International Music Festival. It is a contest and I sure could use your support. Tickets are $10.00 and you can preorder them at www.anthemimf.com . Please mention my name. More info is also on my web site, www.shanecooleymusic.com. I will be looking for you !

WHIRLPOOL is already receiving attention, even though it is not officially out yet ! Paul Shugrue of WHRO Public Radio, Out of the Box, has already spun , MY ASBURY PARK off of Whirlpool and will be playing more. My ASBURY PARK is also listed on Clear Channel's NEW Music sites, one being,http:// www.q94radio.com/cc- common/artist_submission/all.html. This site can also be reached through www.myspace.com/shanecooley You can go on this site and see my profile and listen to the song. The more you listen the more plays I get. Hope you will do this for me. It would be greatly appreciated.

MORE NEWS! DREAMS and ASPIRATIONS, from my last cd, FLYING NAKED, will be used on a National infommercial on TV. It is a commercial for Disaboom which is to help disabled people. Keep an eye and an ear out for it!

I am still plugging away at The College William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. In fact I will be singing the National Anthem and perform at the halftime shows of 2 upcoming basketball games! GO TRIBE!

As you can see I have been working very hard, and I hope it pays off. I can't thank you enough for your support! Here are my upcoming shows:

August 11th, 2007

The NorVa

I'm very happy to be performing at the Norva with my old friend Brian Elder, and I hope you can come out for a rocking night! If you haven't seen us yet, now is the time. Tix are $10 in advance and $13 at the door.
MESSAGE ME IF YOU WANT ADVANCE TICKETS!!!!!

The show is on Thursday, August 23, the doors open at 6pm, and the show starts at 6:30pm.

Other acts during the night include:

Brian Elder Project
John Harrell
Brian Roots Project
Ice Fortress
Killing the Cure
Who Moves Everything

Come rock with us,
Shane

This is gonna be sweet! Don't miss it.

Summertime

Hello Everyone!!!
It's SUMMERTIME, William and Mary is out, and my band and I are on the GO! America's 400th Aniversary in Jamestown, Va. was a dream stage and a memorable moment in history. It was an honor to be a part of this great event. 70,000 attended the weekend affair. Of course our favorite part of the celebration was when we took the stage, but there were great performances by many others as well. Some of our favoites were Brule', an contemporary Native American band from from South Dakota, Jen Chapin, (Harry Chapin's daughter), from NYC, Scott Miller and the Commonwealth, (W&M Alumni) from Knoxville, Vusi Mahlasela from South Africa and of course the grand finale with Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs and Chaka Khan. What a show!!!! Whenever you get a chance to see Bruce, see him, he is amazing.

We had an awesome time at the Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis, MD. We have been asked to return monthly, so all of you who showed up for the performance in the down bar, THANK YOU.

The Aviators and are currently scheduling and booking some dates to play in Nashville. Stay tuned to my fantastic brand new web site created by Cindy Foster of Lucky Star Designs for upcoming details.

I'm actually going to Newfoundland today! Not sure what's there other than moose, but it will be a fun adventure. When I return the band and I will be playing Harborfest in Norfolk on Fri. June 8 from 3:30 to 6pm. Following us will be The Bealtles Tribute band and Los Lonely Boys. I performed here last year and its a wonderful event for all ages.

On June 19th we perform at the Virginia Beach Hilton Oceanfront, and on June 20th the Lake Matoaka Amplitheater in Williamsburg.. Please check my web site, www.shanecooleymusic, or www.myspace.com/shanecooley for more details!

ROCK,
Shane

January 20th, 2007

Kendall, My Friend

I would like to take a moment to mention a dear friend of mine, Kendall Ashton. She passed away a year ago today. Although she was only 13 years old, she had accomplished a lot as a singer, songwriter and musician. I had the pleasure of producing and recording a CD for her, and have never met a more inspirational individual, or a better friend. Her warm heart and positive spirit touched everyone around her. Kendall was an avid fan of my music and created a fan club, which you can view at Tribute to Kendall. Kendall touched a lot of people and continues to everyday. We all miss her, love her, and wish she was still here. You can view her profile and listen to her song, "Keep Trying." on myspace. She is the number one friend on my profile, or you can go to MySpace/Kendall Ashton.

ROCK,
Shane

December 30th, 2006

Year's End

I hope you guys have a safe and fortunate New Year! I want to thank everyone who has supported me and joined the 'team' in 2006! It's been an eventful year, from the release of FLYING NAKED with Jason Mraz producers Stewart Myers and Chris Keup, shooting music videos in Manhattan for Indigo TV, graduating from high school, going to William and Mary, and forming my new band, the Aviators! I'm hoping for even bigger and better things next year, and your continued support!

Next week, the band and I are heading to Mousetrap Studio with producer Stewart Myers to make a demo, so we're off to a good start!

If you're looking for something to do on New Year's Eve, you should come to Williamsburg for First Night. I will be playing with the Aviators from 6-6:45pm, 8-8:45 pm, and 10-10:45pm at the Daily Grind next to the William and Mary University Center. There are 60 performers throughout Williamsburg, and it is a great family event! The audience rotates, so wear comfortable shoes! Then, at midnight there will be fireworks at Zable Stadium! For more info and tickets, check out First Night/>. We'd love to celebrate New Years with you!

Thank you to everyone who has been voting for me on www.fredio.com for Battle of the Bands! I am currently in 8th place out of 125 artists, and voting ends tomorrow, Dec. 31 at midnight! If you would like to vote, go to www.fredio.com and scroll down to the Battle of the Bands link. You can vote once per hour (no more than once!) per computer!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

ROCK, Shane

October 20th, 2006

College Bounty

Since I've started going to college, I have been giving weekly concerts in my dorm room to my fellow students. My bassist, Will Murphy, is now video recording the concerts and is working on putting them into a weekly podcast.

Videos from the first week are now available online on:

I will keep you posted on the progression of the podcast!

I am a finalist for the Independent Music World Series! I also have received an award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for my achievements with FLYING NAKED. I am honored for these awards and appreciate the recognition.

Last week the William and Mary newspaper, The Flat Hat, did an excellent feature on my music. Kudos to Valerie Hopkins for the great interview! Go to the News Page of www.shanecooleymusic.com to check out the article.
While you're there, also check out the link to Radio Is Dead and scroll down. There's a cool review posted on there by Ken.

BAND NEWS: The shows I have been playing with my new band (Christian Amonson on drums, Will Murphy on bass) are lots of fun. We've been practicing hard and are hoping to go full steam by next semester. We're basically a rock trio, still doing my original songs. We currently are leaning on the name Shane Cooley and the Aviators, but if you guys have any suggestions, feel free to email us! If we like it, we'll give ya a free copy of FLYING NAKED!

You can request songs from FLYING NAKED on XM RADIO by going to XMfan.com, searching Shane Cooley, and clicking on the song you'd like to request!

Starting November, we're gonna kick off the yearly Shane Cooley Music CD Drive! We collect new and slightly used CD's for 105.5 WRAR FM's Christmas Wishes Program. Each year needy children send in their Christmas wishes to WRAR, and among the most asked for items are CD's. So if you would like to donate, collection boxes go up locally at Rappahannock High School and the William and Mary campus for starters on November 1. I will keep you posted with more locations as they come up, as well as a mailing address for those of you who don't live near a collection area.

See ya at the next show!
RRRRRROCK!
Shane

August 24th, 2006

College Bound

I finally got to meet Bruce Hornsby in person the other night backstage at his concert in C-Ville (Charlottesville). I had talked to him via phone before about my music and it was exciting to finally meet him.

Tomorrow morning I leave for my first year at the College of William and Mary. EVERYTHING will remain the same as far as my music career. In fact, things are just going to get more interesting! I will continue my solo acoustic career, as well as hopes of starting a rock band. My emails and websites will all remain the same. It's going to be a fun year and you will hear from me soon!

College students: find me on Facebook!

Thank you everyone for your support!
ROCK - Shane

January 23rd, 2006

Guardian Angel

In the spring of 2004, I was a lot younger than I am now. I had just released my first rock CD, "CLIMB", with the band I had at the time, The Shane Cooley Band. We performed in small local venues, and I would belt out the heartfelt lyrics of my songs so that even those who didn't wish to hear me couldn't escape. It happened to be at a local Warsaw gig that I met face-to-face my true guardian angel. Her name was Kendall Ashton. The month before she had become an avid fan of my music, and started a fan website. Her older brother, Kyle, and I were friends from school, and through his friendship I was able to meet Kendall and her loving family. It didn't take me long to realize that for a 12 year old girl, she had wisdom well beyond her age. I could see Kendall in the audience that night, singing every word to my songs and I was impressed. She also was most likely the first fan to scream at a Shane Cooley concert.

As time passed by, Kendall and I became close friends, and there was seldom a day that didn't greet me with an email from her. I soon found out that Kendall also had a knack for music, and had written a few songs of her own. After having her sing one of my songs with me at a gig, I decided to have her and Kyle over to my house to record her own CD. I could record enough to make her a CD to pass around to friends and family. We wrote a couple of songs together, and for a 12 year old girl she had pipes. I remember Kyle and I sitting in the studio listening to her do the vocal tracks with chills running down our spines in awe of her beautiful voice.

There has never been a better friend or fan then Kendall. She would wake up and go to sleep to Shane Cooley music. Even when my band dissolved, she still stuck with me and continued to rock out to the solo stuff. Kendall was one of those friends that really was a friend. There was nothing fair-weather about her. She was always listening to radio shows hoping to hear me on them. Her mother told me she couldn't even count how many nights Kendall's family nearly jumped out of their skin when she screamed "SHANE's ON THE RADIO!" Ah yes, and scream she did. It didn't matter whether I was playing at a festival or a Williamsburg coffeehouse, Kendall would scream like Beatlemania. When she couldn't make it to a gig, I would always have one of my friends call her on a cell phone to hear a song, and they would have to hold the phone away from their heads because she would scream so loud. In fact, she earned the nickname "Screamer."

Kendall was a very energetic, vibrant girl with a heart of gold and a positive attitude. However, Kendall had health problems from the beginning, which made it so she had to be home schooled. She never let that stop her though. She was bound and determined to do everything she could to be the best friend and fan she could be. For my 18th birthday, Kendall sent out surveys to all of my friends, music friends, and family for them to put messages to me on, and put them all together in a book. She would always do special things for her friends, even when there was no special occasion. Kendall was also a wiz on the computer, and maintained several fan sites as well as a website for her own music. When others with her illness would have given up, she kept trying.

A couple days ago, Kendall Ashton left this earth. For nearly 14 years of life, Kendall accomplished more than many do in an average lifetime, and had many blessings. Not only was she able to perform to audiences, make a CD, write songs, run websites, and perform plays in her church, but she had an immense group of family and friends who loved her and looked up to her in so many ways. There's not a single person who knew Kendall that wasn't touched by the glow that emitted from her smile. She will always be remembered, and we will always learn from her. I know that wherever she is now, she will be screaming with joy at every musical success that comes my way, and I certainly owe a huge part of them to her. You see, without people like Kendall, writing and performing music would have no more meaning to me than putting on a CD player.

When it comes to my music, nothing makes me more proud than the fact that I have helped people like Kendall find peace with themselves. To see how she smiled at my gigs not only showed me that I helped her, but that she had helped me too. I will always try to make a difference with my music, and I wouldn't trade that for all the record deals in the world. I wish I could still help Kendall, but I know she will be right there by my side to help me.

I feel much older now than I did in 2004. A lot has happened to me since the days of "CLIMB" and The Shane Cooley Band. However, every time I think of those days I will remember Kendall screaming her heart out to my songs, and I will feel a little younger again.

Until next time, keep rockin',
never cease to have fun, and dream!
~Shane

September 7th, 2005

Dreams and Aspirations

Hey everybody! Right now I'd like to talk to you about dreams and aspirations (check out my song "Dreams and Aspirations" on Me, Myself and You and a new version on my upcoming CD.........shameless plug, lol). The first and foremost thing you should know about me is that I'm a nice guy, but just as importantly you should know that music is a true passion to me. Though I have a blast playing music, it is not just a hobby that will pass with my high school days nor is it something I want to do as a release from the stress of a day job. Music is my career, and I intend to be as sucessful as I possibly can. I guess the best way to explain my drive to get my music out there is to tell you where I came from. Ever since my childhood days I have wanted to be something out of the ordinary. Even before I wanted to be a singer/songwriter I would pretend I was the president or a superhero, like most kids that age. The difference with me was that I didn't just want to be the president, I wanted to be the best president this country had ever seen. Even when I pretended to be a pirate I was the most feared and revered pirate to ever sail the seven seas....arrgh! During these days of innocence I was always a lover of music as well. I would listen to my father play with his band in the garage from my room at night and I would dance with my mom to "Passionate Kisses" by Mary Chapin Carpenter on the radio (I still can't dance for anything). As I grew I became enamored with writing, art and poetry and at a time I wanted to be a novelist. However, I still wanted to be something out of the ordinary, and as I wrote in a poem entitled "The Power of Imagination" in the 6th grade, "I was not put here for anything of the normal variety," and "I want to make a difference, a difference that will change the world." It wasn't until my early teens that I realized my calling. With music and songwriting I could combine poetry, art and stories all into one. I also learned later the athleticism of performing, lol (I've jumped off my share of stages). More importantly though, I realized that I could write songs as messages to the world, so I decided to always promote positive ways in my songs. These messages were sent and received, and I am floored at the difference my music has made in people's lives. Ever since this music train's been a rollin'! Of course, I didn't just start playing live at Red Rocks (still working on that, lol) as soon as I started. I come from a small, rural area that predominately digs country and never heard anything louder than "Achy Breaky Heart," so I had a rough start. Despite the obstacles, I never gave up, and therefore I always came through. As my good friend, recent producer, and B-3 player on my new CD Steve Bassett once told me, "I'm glad to know someone who can turn 'up the creek without a paddle' into an opportunity to pass their music on." Thus, managing to convert a few of the local "Northern Neckers" along the way I've embarked on a warpath to the bigtime. However, I never ignore the chance to help others along the way, musically and philanthropically, which may be why I have come this far. I'm not a cutthroat, self-centered businessman (though I'm no pushover either), and I'm nice to everybody. I'm honest, I'm moralistic, and I'm the real deal. That's something that I will never give up for all the record deals in the world. So, it wasn't as short as I thought, but that is the story of my unstoppable drive. I continue to climb with every song I write and every gig I play, slowly towards whatever destiny awaits me. I have my guitar in hand, my songs in my head, and my heart and soul behind a velvet curtain waiting to be unveiled to you. To all those who read this I strongly encourage you to hold on to your dreams, and to never, ever let the world stop you. If you want to look back when your time is due and say "Hey, I accomplished something in this life," then giving up is not an option. Wherever I may end up 10 years down the road, I guarantee you I will have come a long way, and that I have gained altitude.

Until next time, keep rockin',
never cease to have fun, and dream!
~Shane

June 14th, 2004

Musically Speaking...

What's up? First of all, thanks for visiting the site. I think the best way to get to know me is to listen to my songs.

My music career has only been three years long, but as they say it's not the years, it's the mileage. Most of my songwriting has come from everyday experiences; from being shy, to endless summer days, religious cults, old guys in Hawaiian shirts, flowers that last only a day, love gone disastrously wrong, indestructible hope, or just the world in general. You get the drift. I could express myself in no deeper way than my songs. I'm not exactly an expert at talking to people, but those who know me closely, know how much passion I put into my playing and writing, that I'm almost a different person on stage. That's basically what most of the songs off my new CD "Climb" are about. Like how so many people are consumed into becoming what they were taught not to be, and how you shouldn't become one of those people so CLIMB past all of that.

Ok, I got carried away. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the site, and yes, I must plug myself - I mean encourage you - to buy a CD and tell all your friends also. I am doing my best to try to climb up in the music business and hopefully go somewhere. So, what can I say, join the Shane Cooley Bandwagon! Rock on!

Think P+sitive and You Will Cl^mb,
Shane

Positive Reinforcement

There have been so many people that have inspired and supported me in my life that frankly I have lost count. I owe a lot to my family, friends, and teachers for making me the person I am today. However, it was a school bus driver that changed my entire life within one summer, and gave me the possibility to make one of my greatest dreams come true.
Three years ago, I had no clue where I would be now. I have always wanted to be a rock star, but I was no Elvis. Music was just a childhood phase to me at that time. When I was in the mood, though, I would write a song, thinking that songwriting was something everybody did. I would even go so far to say I was somewhat a typical teen. That changed when I met Wayne "Bassman" Robinson. He was a school bus driver and also a friend of my father, who had him come down to our house one afternoon to help him fix his motorcycle. After he repaired the bike, we treated him to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Somehow, we came upon the topic of music, and found out that Bassman was a professional bass guitarist. My father could play some tunes on the guitar, and I could drum adequately, so we invited him to come and jam with us for a little while. He played two notes and I was floored. There was something magical about this man and the music he made with his fingers that were calloused from years of playing. After my dad played a while, I took the guitar and played him some of the songs I had written. A big smile ran across his face and he invited me to come up to his small studio and create a home-recorded CD. The ball started rolling.
I was ecstatic about being able to have my own CD, of course, not to mention being able to play with someone as great as Bassman. His studio was a very small porch, with only room for three people amongst the tangled wires and myriad of buttons and dials, but it was like Disneyland to me. Over that summer, I came to realize that my musical skills was a talent that not everyone had, and by that summer's end, I knew that was what I wanted to do.
Several months ago, Bassman accompanied me on my fifth CD, which this time was recorded in a professional Studio. I am a singer/songwriter, and I have performed many concerts. I am starting to make a name for myself in this dream business. Coincidentally, my band will be playing at a charity concert with Bassman's gospel group next month. This is my career, and I am willing to take it as far as I can go. No matter what is around the corner, I will always owe a lot to the soulful sounds of Bassman Robinson.

An Essay by Shane Cooley
Sophomore, Rappahannock High School

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