AMP: When you start writing a song, what usually sparks it for you?

SHAWN: Anything can spark a song; An interaction, a conversation, a memory, a smell, a fall, a bird call, a failure, a success; truly, anything at all. It’s mostly about being in the mindset to receive it. Other times, I just force myself to sit down and start writing, which is often a great way to find out what’s kicking around in your head.

AMP: Have you ever scrapped a song that you later came back to and finished?

SHAWN: I have piles of unfinished songs. Sometimes I pillage them for parts, or ideas. Very often I write songs quickly, record them on my laptop, don’t play them out and forget about them. Periodically, I go back through my piles, and sometimes find fully written, or nearly finished gems. Other times I labor over a song for a long time, then put it down, and when I pick up the subject again it pops out quick in a completely different form. It’s the quickly songs that tend to be the best, though even those I put a lot of time into refining.

AMP: How do you balance honesty with privacy in your songwriting?

SHAWN: Fiction is the freest way to convey emotional truth, because it offers a layer of protection, that allows for deeper honesty. It also allows the listener or reader to more fully bring in their own truths. We can connect with or write about experiences that we’ve never had, because we can boil anything down to basic emotions that we all experience. In that way, we can tell deeply personal stories, without betraying our own privacy, and the “fictional” details can be fun, rather than nerve wracking.

As a writer, and as a performer, I can take comfort knowing that people will write themselves into anything, because I feel like it takes eyes off of me. Sometimes of course, the balance breaks, the line is crossed, we’ve said too much and bruises may be taken. But, it’s all part of the process.

AMP: Can you describe a performance that really stuck with you?

SHAWN: For a time when I was young, my parents attended the local Unitarian Church. I was dragged along, which I hated. But, one Sunday a local folk musician performed played “The City of New Orleans” and everybody in the room was sang along. My hair stood on end. I had never heard the song and was blown away that everyone knew the words and was singing along. It was powerful and the closest thing I’d seen to a person performing real magic. I always deeply loved music, but in that moment, I knew what I wanted to do.

AMP: Your new single on Bigger Beast Records is a reimagining of the Bob Dylan song, “Gotta Serve Somebody”. What is something about that particular track that grabs you?

SHAWN: Our hyper competitive “me” culture, is degrading our civilization. What we do in service to each other and our communities, or against each other and our communities, defines our humanity, not our social status or wealth. I once heard someone say that we are nothing but a series of choices, with a name. Each decision we make is a chance to serve right or wrong. Every choice we make has an effect on us and the people around us. It doesn’t matter if you’re “Sleeping on the floor” or if “They may call you chief.” Ultimately, we are all connected and on the same level.

“Gotta Serve Somebody,” is a powerful reminder of this interconnectedness and the power of choices. I revised and added some lyrics to reflect current events. It’s also my debut on melodica, which was a whole lot of fun to record and adds depth to the track.

AMP: Who are some artists who have shaped your sound?

SHAWN: I listen to a very broad range of music, across many genres. I like to think it all seeps in on some level. Some of the clearest influences though are Bob Dylan, Tom Waites, John Steinbeck, Peter Mulvey, Kelly Joe Phelps, The Grateful Dead, C,S,N&Y and the sound of water, wind and birds.

AMP: Has your musical style changed over time and if so, how?

SHAWN: My musical style is always evolving. I coined the phrase “Wandering Roots music’ to describe it, because I draw from many musical wells. For me, the greatest musical joy, is in exploration. Over the years I’ve touched on folk, blues, rock, reggae, Motown, bluegrass, country, pop, swing and jazz. I look forward to exploring new genres. Right now, my son is teaching me classical violin. Who knows where that will lead….

AMP: What has been one of the biggest challenges in your musical career so far?

SHAWN: Maintaining the work life balance and managing expectations, have been the most difficult aspects of being a self-employed musician. I play around 375 shows a year, all of which I book myself. It requires wearing many hats and shifting gears often; booker, promoter, office clerk, artist, researcher, audio engineer, driver, musician, writer and roadie.

Because, I play such a wide range of venues, from health care and retirement centers, to festivals, concerts, farmers markets, weddings, restaurants, breweries, online streams originals and covers, I have to maintain very broad setlists, which requires a lot of energy and time and memory. I work at all times of day, often even when I’m lying in bed trying to sleep. It takes drive to keep going, and wisdom to know when to stop and when to accept failure. For every musical success I’ve had, there have been a hundred failures and rejections leading up to it. It’s a business for those with thick skin.

I became a full time musician 18 years ago, at the same time that I became a dad, which adds another level of complications, but I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.

AMP: What advice would you give to emerging artists trying to find their voice?

SHAWN: Explore! Explore the music, art and culture around you. Explore yourself. Ask questions of yourself and the people you meet. Do the things you always thought about doing, but on which you’ve hesitated, inside and outside of music. Find people to swap songs with and/or jam with. Listen. Listen intently. Really practice deep listening. Listen outside your comfort zone.

Remember your voice is more than sound, it’s a tool to connect with people. Draw from the people you admire and draw from outside your comfort zone as much as possible. Emulate to learn, but don’t try to be anyone else. Remain as free and as open as you can. Most importantly, remember that music and art are tools to serve us. We should use them to grow, to connect, to heal, to learn, to release, to share and to inspire ourselves and others.

Write the music and create the sounds that YOU want to hear, not what you think other people want to hear. As unique of an individual as you are, there are others who will connect if you let your true self shine. Find them. And HAVE FUN!!!!!!!

AMP: Are there any collaborations you’re hoping to make happen?

SHAWN: I look forward to the surprise collaborations to come, of which I hope there are many. Right now, I’m focused on and excited for my collaboration with songwriters Bryan Titus and Marc Apostolides, “Songs from the Trail.” It’s an exploration and celebration of our collective experiences thru-hiking and long-distance backpacking on the Appalachian Trail and beyond, featuring songs, stories, photos and gear from our journeys. We’ve got several shows coming up and we’ve started doing some recording recently. I feel like a kid at the beginning of a long, exciting journey.

AMP: Morning or late-night creativity?

SHAWN: Any time of day is good for creativity. Much of writing, whatever the form, happens outside of the actual writing. Observation. Experience. Dreaming. Just life in general. In that sense, creativity starts with being present, throughout the day. The subconscious does a lot of the work, fed on the sensations and experiences we have. The more present we can be in our daily lives, the more the subconscious does the work.

That said, it is important to set out blocks of time to put that creativity to work in your craft to materialize that process. I like to do this at varying times of day, to tap into the different energies of the day. I find the birds inspiring in the morning and often write with them. In addition, I find sitting by a stream after a long run or hike to be a great time to write.

It is important to note what activities fuel your creativity and what activities dull it. When fueled by a good night’s sleep, or when I’ve been dreaming a lot, morning is a perfect. When I wake up feeling anxious, or unrested, it’s helpful to get a pile work done and to exercise and then block out creative time. If I’ve had an amazing day, especially out in the wilderness or experiencing anything new, then often the end of the day is the most productive.

It’s important to experiment with times. It’s also important to practice working through difficulties and blocks. A productive writing session doesn’t have to produce a finished piece to be worthwhile. Over the long term, dedication to the practice of mindfulness and blocking out time, guilt free, is all that matters.

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