Artist:Ryan Shaw
Song:Nobody
Album:This Is Ryan Shaw
Ryan Shaw is a young R & B singer whose music can best be described as retro soul. I think it's a little gimmicky though I understand he probably needed a gimmick to get noticed by Columbia Records. He was born Dec. 26, 1980 in Decatur, GA. He grew up singing in his church and while studying at Georgia State University, he got a role in a Tyler Perry gospel play and moved to New York City. After the play's run ended, he started getting work singing oldies in clubs. The interesting thing is he didn't listen to secular music growing up so he'd never heard any of these songs and gave them a fresh interpretation. Believe it or not, it's not unusual for deeply religeous parents to forbid their children from listening to secular music. But if the child wants to be a musician, he can learn from listening to all kinds of music. I've heard many gospel singers say that they had to sneak out of the house to listen to jazz. Shaw joined The Fabulous Soul Shakers in 2004. The group's guitarist Johnny Gale convinced his friend Jimmy Bralower to look at Shaw. Bralower is a drummer who has been playing sessions since the early 80s. They sent a demo and signed with Columbia. This Is Ryan Shaw was released in April. The CD is mostly oldies though Nobody is a Shaw/Gale/Bralower original. The marketing gimmick is that Shaw sings in a retro soul style and is the anti-hip hop. He's been touring with Joss Stone, another young singer with a similar gimmick. Shaw has talent but I wonder if this is the real Ryan Shaw. I'd like to hear him record gospel. This gimmick might not last. Here's Ryan Shaw's electronic press kit which was posted on Youtube by Ryan Shaw.
No comments:
Post a Comment