Shelby Lanterman is a singer-songwriter from Napa, CA. Practically from the day she was born, her father exposed her to all forms of rock & roll and other types of popular music, and she was quickly inspired to sing and play music herself.
After honing her skills throughout her youth, then 16 year old Shelby began to write and perform her own music. Her performance credits include Hollywood’s Roxy Theater, the Bottle Rock Festival, Sweetwater Music Hall, the Uptown Theater, Silo’s and many more. Most recently, she gained notoriety for her acclaimed Emerging Artist Series of shows hosted at City Winery, featuring several up and coming Bay Area musicians she personally selected. In addition, Shelby has had the opportunity to open for Bob Mould, Lisa Loeb, among many others.
In the fall of 2014, Shelby attended Dark Horse Institute in the Nashville area. Shelby earned a degree in audio engineering, while also immersing herself in the music first atmosphere that is unique to Nashville. Here she was able to work with musicians from all over the country and develop her repertoire as a producer. This experience shaped her unique sound that encompasses the classic rock she grew up loving, and the “Nashville Sound” she was exposed to during her time studying at Dark Horse.
Inspired by artists ranging from Johnny Cash to Nirvana, Shelby’s songwriting style blends the angst and energy of 90’s alt-rock/grunge with the sensibility of Americana and roots rock.
With a wealth of her own material and a group of carefully selected covers, Shelby’s high energy performances will remind you why you fell in love with rock & roll in the first place.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Shelby about her influences, the new project and more.
Full Q&A, links and a Spotify stream of her album can be found below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
Shelby Lanterman, 90’s influenced alt-country/cowpunk singer/songwriter, from San Francisco Bay area of California.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
I grew up listening to my father’s vinyl record collection from the 70’s and early 80’s and this was my first introduction into rock n’ roll and music in general. I absolutely loved the nights when my dad would sit me down in our den and put on music for us to take in. He would quiz me about the bands we were listening to, which is how I developed a knowledge and appreciation for classic rock. At this time, I was also discovering my passion for alternative rock, seeing as this was one of the popular genres at the time. Hearing the song “ Everlong” by the Foo Fighters totally turned my whole world upside down and ultimately led me to finally pick up an instrument and learn how to make music myself. After a period of learning the basic chords on guitar, I started playing my own shows around the bay area and eventually started writing my own songs. Once I developed a solid set of both original tunes and covers, I branched out of my local scene and got on the road. I spent some time in Nashville interning at a recording studio and got heavily immersed in the production side of the industry and was surrounded by country music. Being in the birthplace of country music, I completely fell in love with the genre. My songwriting style eventually developed into being a mix of the classic rock my father taught me, the 90’s alternative rock I grew up with, and the country music I fell in love with. I’ve been a touring musician full time ever since and haven’t looked back. Being on the road all the time definitely comes with it’s difficulties but it’s the music and the people I meet all over the country that keeps me going. I always go back to those early days of discovering great rock bands and writing my first songs when I find myself doubting my career path. Nothing can overpower the love a musician has for their passion.
Who or what are your biggest influences when it comes to your creativity?
I’m completely obsessed with the Foo Fighters. They are my favorite band and initially gave me the spark to start playing music myself. I think Dave Grohl is an absolute genius both as a songwriter and performer. I’ve learned so much about songwriting from his music, hearing interviews with him and he inspires me everyday. Not only as a musician, but as a person in general. My first songwriting influences came before I discovered the Foos however. Paul McCartney & Wings was played a lot around the house when I was a kid and Paul was the first musician I loved. In all honestly, I probably would not have found a passion for music if it hadn’t been for the album “ Band on the Run”. The way that album is crafted and produced blows my mind. Bruce Springsteen, Everclear, Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, Johnny Cash, Ryan Adams and Del Amitri have been big contributors to my creative inspirations as well.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
This is my first solo album. I used to play in a duo called Mirror Image that released some music and I’ve also put out a couple of singles but this is the first time I’ve put together a group of songs on my own. I’m really excited about this particular album because I was able to get my backing band in the studio to really explore these songs and bring them to life. I’m used to playing as an acoustic solo act so having drums and bass added to these songs was exciting for me. I was also heavily involved in the production side of making this album so being able to make decisions and take charge of the sound of the album was an amazing feeling.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
As an indie musician in the digital age, it can be difficult to set yourself aside from everyone else. The biggest challenge I’ve faced is the fact that there’s so much music out there it’s almost impossible to have your own stuff stand out. When you have millions of musicians putting their music on Facbeook, SoundCloud, Spotify, etc. you can become invisible in the midst of all the information out there. On the flip side however, it’s amazing to be able to discover so many amazing musicians with just a couple clicks. Indie artists have more resources to get their music noticed in our modern age than ever. Being able to get music out to everyone in the world with just the push of a button is quite an amazing concept.
How do you feel about streaming services? Any romantic attachments to the physical formats: vinyl, 8-track, cassettes, CDs?
I have a special connection with vinyl because it’s how my passion for music developed. I personally will never be able to see any other way of listening to music as a better experience than putting on a vinyl record. However, I think streaming services are an easy and effective way to get the music you want. I am an avid user of Spotify when I’m working on the computer or cleaning the house. It’s very nice and convenient when you just want some background music. But that’s the problem isn’t it… when it’s so easy and convenient to listen to whatever music you want, it becomes less important. When you listen to vinyl, it’s an event. You purposely make time to sit down, put on the record and take in every single note of the album from start to finish. When you can access any music you want at any second of the day, there’s not that urgency to listen to it right away with no distractions. Streaming services are wonderful for several reasons and I use them all the time, but nothing compares to the experience of putting on your favorite vinyl record and hearing those pops and crackles while taking in every breath, every note, every heartfelt lyric.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
My website is www.shelbylantermanmusic.com and that’s where you can find links to all of my social media pages as well as tour info.
Anything else before we sign off?
To the readers, thank you for taking the time to read this feature. I hope you enjoy my new album Paper Thin! Make sure to support all of your favorite indie musicians, it’s so important to give indie artists all the love and encouragement they deserve.
