If you happened to be hanging around midtown Thursday night, it’s possible you acquired a little ‘vocal crush’ on Whiskey Jam’s first performer of the night, the artsy triple threat known as Michael Shynes.
Shynes, who resides in his home state of Minnesota, isn’t a local, and probably isn’t a name you hear around town. But that doesn’t mean he’s new to the music scene, and it’s not an indicator of his industry success. As business-minded as he is musically gifted, Shynes has managed to make a living through performing live music, often playing five to six nights a week, for the last several years.
With his live show crafted to perfection, Shynes had yet to perform in front of a Nashville audience. Until Thursday night, that is. As suspected, it was a Music City debut that was long overdue. Heads were bopping and bodies were shaking as Shynes took to the stage performing one of my new favorites, the upbeat and lyrically clever “Cold Day In Hell” from his latest album There Goes The Devil.
In a land filled with musical talent, Michael Shynes has already made a name for himself, and continues to prove to fans that he’s at the top of his game. For instance, new fans seemed more like old friends as they greeted Michael offstage, swapped stories, and welcomed him to town. His gracious and humble manner seemed to fit right in with our local music community, and these character traits are hard to find. You know, the ones that can’t be faked because they are real, genuine, character traits. And they are what draws people in, and keeps them hooked. They are what makes a great artist.
Was it good old southern hospitality in the air that night, or simply the Michael Shynes effect? We’ll let you be the judge.
Listeners should start with his stripped-down rendition of the Rhianna hit “We Found Love”, which features Maygen Lacey, a fellow Minnesota artist, and viral sensation in her own right. The pop cover was produced overseas by Andreas Romdhane and Josef Larossi. Released just last month, the track has taken off at rapid speed, with streamers in the hundreds of thousands. Now YOU should listen to Shyne’s version of “We Found Love” on Spotify, by clicking HERE
Whiskey Jam takes place at Winner’s Bar & Grill, every Monday and Thursday night at 8pm www.whiskeyjam.com . To hear more from Michael Shynes, check out his socials at www.michaelshynes.com
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