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Shelby Lynne

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Shelby Lynne
Background information
Birth nameShelby Lynn Moorer
Born(1968-10-22)October 22, 1968(age 55)[1]
OriginQuantico, Virginia,United States
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1988–present
Labels
Websitewww.shelbylynne.com

Shelby Lynne(bornShelby Lynn Moorer,October 22, 1968) is an American singer andsongwriterand the older sister of singer-songwriterAllison Moorer.[2]The success of herpop rockalbumI Am Shelby Lynne(1999) led to her winning theGrammy Award for Best New Artist,despite it being her sixth studio album. She released aDusty Springfieldtribute album calledJust a Little Lovin'in 2008. Since then she has started her own independent record label, called Everso Records, and released six albums:Tears, Lies and Alibis;Merry Christmas;Revelation Road;Thanks;[3]I Can't Imagine;andShelby Lynne.Lynne is also known for her distinctivecontraltovoice.[4][5]

Early life[edit]

Shelby Lynne was born inQuantico, Virginia,and raised inJackson, Alabama,thenMobile,where she attendedTheodore High School.Music was an important part of the Moorer family. Her father was a local bandleader and her mother a harmony-singing teacher; as children, she and her younger sisterAllison— later a country recording artist in her own right — sometimes joined their parents on-stage to sing along. However, Lynne's father was a violent alcoholic who abused his wife. In 1985, her mother fled with the two girls to Mobile. Her father soon discovered their whereabouts. In 1986, when Lynne was 17 and her sister was 14, he fatally shot her mother in the family's driveway. He then turned the gun on himself while his daughters were in the house.[6]

Career[edit]

Early years[edit]

Lynne appeared onTNN's country music showNashville Nowin 1987. She soon landed a recording contract withEpic Records.Her first recording for Epic was a duet withGeorge Jones,"If I Could Bottle This Up", which became a top-50 hit in 1988. Epic teamed Lynne with producerBilly Sherrillfor her 1989 debut albumSunrise.The follow-up, 1990'sTough All Over,took more of a mainstream country direction, and 1991'sSoft Talkfound Lynne moving into slickcountry pop.

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 won theAcademy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Vocalistin 1991, beating the other two nomineesCarlene CarterandMatraca Berg.

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 smallerMorgan Creeklabel, debuting with 1993'sTemptation,an exercise inBob Wills-styleWestern swingandbig bandjazz. The label folded not long after, and she moved on toMagnatonefor 1995'sRestless,which marked a return to contemporary-style country. Afterward, Lynne disappeared from recording for several years. One notable project that she assisted on was Vince Gill's 1996High Lonesome Soundalbum, where she provided background, harmony vocals on the song "You And You Alone". Vince Gill and Shelby Lynne performed the song at the 1997 CMA awards show.

Breakthrough[edit]

In 1998, Lynne moved toPalm Springs, California.[7]For her next record, she worked with producer and songwriterBill Bottrell.The result was the confessional and eclecticpop rockandblues-influenced albumI Am Shelby Lynne."That album came from the most vulnerable, desperate place," she recalled years later. "I think about it every day."[8]Island Def Jam released the album in the U.K. during the fall of 1999 and then in the U.S. the following year, to wide critical acclaim.[9]At the43rd Grammy Awards,held on February 21, 2001, she won the award forBest New Artist."Thirteen years and six albums to get here," said Lynne during her acceptance speech.[10]One of the songs, "Dreamsome", also appeared on the soundtrack of the filmBridget Jones's Diary.

Her 2001 follow-up albumLove, Shelbywas produced byGlen Ballardand featured a slicker, more pop-influenced sound. The album received mixed reviews.

Lynne took a more low-key approach on her next effort.Identity Crisiswas self-produced, recorded largely in her home studio and with few additional musicians. Many of the 12 tracks focused on dark themes, but there were also lighter songs such as "One With the Sun" (inspired by a conversation she had withWillie Nelson).[11]The album found a home on Capitol Records and was released in September 2003. The critics gave her high marks; AllMusic's Thom Jurek wrote, "There is no identity crisis here, just the indelible mark of a mature, intense, always engaging artist."[12]Suit Yourself(2005) also received praise from critics. However, neither record was commercially successful.

Later career[edit]

Lynne performing in 2014

Her albumJust a Little Lovin',released in early 2008 by Lost Highway Records, paid tribute to the late British singerDusty Springfield.The producer wasPhil Ramone,who had worked with Springfield on "The Look of Love".Just A Little Lovin'became the highest charting album of Lynne's career, reaching number 41 on theBillboard200. In a review forEntertainment Weekly,Marc Weingarten wrote that the album "is a stark reminder of Lynne's empathetic skill as an interpreter".[13]The sparse production and extremely well recorded nature of the album, combined with its song selection have made this album a favorite audiophile "demo" recording, and as a result the album was reissued on audiophile-grade 200g vinyl as well asSACD.[14]

Following a dispute with Lost Highway, Lynne started her own label, called Everso Records. "I plan on taking advantage of my freedom and working hard and putting out a lot of records," she said in an interview.[15]The first release was her albumTears, Lies and Alibis(2010). She followed up later that year with the holiday albumMerry Christmas,featuring such classics as "Christmas Time Is Here" and "O Holy Night". The third and most recent release isRevelation Road(2011), on which she played all the instruments.[16]

On August 18, 2017, Lynne released a collaborative record with her sisterAllison MoorertitledNot Dark Yet.Produced by British folk singerTeddy Thompson,it features covers of songs byMerle Haggard,Bob Dylan,NirvanaandThe Killersas well as an original recording.[17]

Additional projects[edit]

Lynne performed theJohn Lennonsong "Mother" atCome Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Musicin October 2001 and at Theatre Within's 30th annual Lennon tribute in November 2010.[18]

She has worked professionally with her sister, Allison Moorer. On Moorer's live albumShow,released in 2003, Lynne performed three duets with her sister. Lynne wrote "She Knows Where She Goes", one of the songs featured on Moorer's 2008 albumMockingbird.The two sisters performed five concerts together during what they called the Side by Side tour. The concerts took place from October through December 2010 in San Francisco, New York, Virginia, and Alabama.[19][20]

In 2002, she sang a duet withRaul Maloon his first solo album,Today.The song is titled "Takes Two To Tango". In 2004, Lynne was featured in a duet version ofalternative rockbandLive's song "Run Away." This rendition can be found on the band's greatest hits compilationAwake: The Best of Live.Also in 2004, she sang a duet entitled "Can't Go Back Home", on Tony Joe White's albumThe Heroines.In 2007, she performed background vocals onMarc Cohn's fourth album,Join the Parade.She contributed toForever Cool,a 2007 album from Capitol/EMI featuring contemporary artists in duets with the lateDean Martin.AlongsideBig Bad Voodoo Daddy,Lynne performed a duet of one of Martin's best-known tunes, "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You".

She also joined the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and, in 2015, the 14th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel, to assist independent musicians' careers.[21]

Lynne has taken on a few acting roles. "She expressed interest about working in film back in the January 1992 issue ofModern Screen's Country Musicwhen we spoke for a story I teased on the cover ('Shelby Lynne: Is Hollywood Beckoning?') after her appearance in Willie Nelson'sAnother Pair of AcesTV-movie with Kris Kristofferson. 'It was hardly an acting role,' she said at the time. 'I played myself. I didn't even have any dialogue. Willie's a crook gone good. Kris is the sheriff and I'm a saloon singer. I sang two songs. One they played while Kris was makin' love. So, so much for my big acting career!'"[22]She portrayedJohnny Cash's mother Carrie in the 2005 filmWalk the Line.She appeared in a 2009 episode of theLifetimedrama seriesArmy Wivesas a country singer trying to reunite with her son. She played herself in an episode of theStarzcomedy seriesHead Case.

She was featured in Live From Daryl's House withDaryl Hallin a "delta blues-meets-Philly soul" throwdown. The show aired on Viacom'sPalladiamusic channel on December 15, 2012.

Personal life[edit]

Lynne is not married and does not have children.[23]Although she has publicly disclosed that she is gay, Lynne has stated she intends to keep her life private outside of music.[24]

Discography[edit]

Main article:Shelby Lynne discography

Filmography[edit]

1991 Another Pair of Aces-Three of a Kind Saloon Singer First Movie Role
1991 Hee Haw Herself 1 episode
2005 Walk the Line Carrie Cash
2007 Head Case Herself 1 episode
2009 Army Wives Stella Raye 1 episode

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Organization Award Nominee/Work Result
1990 TNN/Music City News Country Awards Vocal Collaboration of the Year George Jonesand Shelby Lynne Nominated
1991 Academy of Country Music Awards Top New Female Vocalist Shelby Lynne Won
1996 Top Vocal Duo of the Year Shelby Lynne andFaith Hill Nominated
2001 Grammy Awards Best New Artist Shelby Lynne Won

References[edit]

  1. ^"I am Shelby Lynne. Goddammit".The Irish Times.December 10, 1999.Archivedfrom the original on January 3, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 3,2023.
  2. ^"Shelby Lynne And Allison Moorer: Musical Sisters".NPR.org.Archivedfrom the original on 2017-09-20.Retrieved2018-04-04.
  3. ^Shelby Lynne - Thanks Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic,archivedfrom the original on 2023-03-29,retrieved2023-03-29
  4. ^Jurek, Thom (1993)."Shelby Lynne - Temptation review".Allmusic.Archivedfrom the original on 5 November 2012.Retrieved20 August2012.
  5. ^Farber, Jim (18 October 2011)."'Revelation Road' review: Shelby Lynne ".New York Daily News.Retrieved20 August2012.
  6. ^"Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer: Musical Sisters".NPR. December 15, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on September 20, 2017.RetrievedApril 4,2018.
  7. ^Thigpen, David E. (April 24, 2000)."Music: Blows Against The Empire".TIME.Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2010.
  8. ^Hoerburger, Rob (January 13, 2008)."Shelby Lynne's Dusty Trail".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on November 9, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 23,2017.
  9. ^Hilburn, Robert (February 18, 2001)."She Had Such High Hopes".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on October 26, 2012.RetrievedAugust 8,2010.
  10. ^Allen, Jamie (February 22, 2001)."Steely Dan, Faith Hill, Eminem, U2 each win 3 Grammys".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on October 21, 2012.RetrievedAugust 3,2010.
  11. ^McCall, Michael (September–October 2003)."This year's model".No Depression. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-09-29.
  12. ^Jurek, Thom."Identity Crisis > Overview".AllMusic.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-08.Retrieved2023-07-08.
  13. ^Weingarten, Marc (February 1, 2008)."Just a Little Lovin'".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon January 23, 2013.
  14. ^Marc,Andrei (March 1, 2012).""Just a Little Lovin'" Finally Gets Some "."Michael Fremer's Music Angle".Archivedfrom the original on May 9, 2012.RetrievedMay 8,2012.
  15. ^Graff, Gary (April 23, 2010)."Shelby Lynne Plots Own Course With 'Tears'".Billboard.com.
  16. ^Horowitz, Steve (October 20, 2011)."Shelby Lynne: Revelation Road".PopMatters.
  17. ^"Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer's Not Dark Yet Arrives Aug. 18".Archived fromthe originalon 2017-05-25.Retrieved2017-05-27.
  18. ^Farber, Jim (November 15, 2010)."John Lennon concert brings out Cyndi Lauper, Patti Smith, Aimee Mann for 30th year at Beacon Theater".NY Daily News.Archivedfrom the original on 2010-11-18.Retrieved2010-12-04.
  19. ^"Lynne, Moorer tour together for first time".Country Standard Time.
  20. ^Specker, Lawrence F. (December 4, 2010)."Lynne, Moorer take Saenger stage 'side by side' at last".Mobile Press-Register.Archivedfrom the original on December 1, 2011.RetrievedDecember 6,2010.
  21. ^"Independent Music Awards - 9th Annual Judges".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-10-01.
  22. ^"The sisterly significance of Allison Moorer and Shelby Lynne | Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia".www.goldminemag.com.18 May 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2022-03-02.Retrieved2022-03-02.
  23. ^Farber, Jim (2017-08-13)."Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer as Sisters With a Painful Bond".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-03-29.Retrieved2023-03-29.
  24. ^Shulman, Randy (2018-07-19)."Shelby Lynne on Trump:" As an American, red-blooded, flag-waving, bonafide Dixie dyke, I'm appalled "".Metro Weekly.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-03-29.Retrieved2023-03-29.

External links[edit]

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