A truly refreshing amalgam of singer/songwriter, folk pop, country and alternative songs inspired by America's roots. This collection features the perfect blend of lyrics and music for all audiences and makes an excellent addition to any music library.

11 MP3 Songs
POP: 90's Pop, COUNTRY: Country Rock



Details:
Shawn Royer is a singer/songwriter/guitarist out of Phoenix, Arizona. Royer began his music career at the age of 5 in Tempe when he took drum lessons at Kowalâs music store in the mid â70âs under Danny Tomlinson (Frank Sinatraâs touring band in the â90âs). After 2 years, he opted out of drumming lessons due to the conservative style of Tomlinson and his anxiousness to play louder and more aggressive. He did not play another instrument until age 14 when he began to play ukulele. At 17, Shawn began to teach himself guitar using a vintage Silvertone his grandfather left him upon death, along with a depression era chord book. By age 20, Shawn began writing his own songs and playing guitar with a local Christian street ministry in downtown Tempe. In the mid â90âs, Royer formed his own band, âSpare Changeâ with a friend while attending Arizona State University. The band played acoustic experimental music, and this gave Shawn a chance to test his songwriting skills among the college coffee house circuit. When not studying, Royer also found time to dabble in the Phoenix underground art scene of the early rave era, contributing guitar lines to spoken word, beat style poetry with a couple of local artists calling the project âOrphans and Widows.â In late 1999, Shawn auditioned for another local Tempe band called âRadio Theory,â gigging very briefly with this act until deciding to reform âSpare Changeâ which would morph into âRhumb Lineâ in 2001. This new ensemble of 7 musicians found Royer a strong creative force in a band of 6 other excellent musicians, most of whom sang and wrote songs brilliantly. With such stiff competition, Shawn was forced to expand his musical repertoire and become a lead guitarist. âRhumb Lineâ rehearsed arduously, playing the local club circuit. The band landed its biggest achievement in 2002, releasing a single (âSiennaâ) which was played on KUMM, the college radio station at the University of Minnesota. Shortly thereafter, âRhumb Lineâ lost two influential members who would go on to become âJasperâs Clue,â another local Tempe-based band. Reading the writing on the wall, Royer departed from this band to meet up with a friend and fellow social worker to form âThe Juniors,â ( who would change the name to Ono Grindz) a folk-rock trio who played the Phoenix coffee house, restaurant and bar circuit.. In 2004, Royer left this act to begin recording his own material. As a professional psychotherapist by day, Shawn has been able to assimilate his wealth of shared stories of life, death and all encompassing emotions of experience to convey his understanding of the human spirit through the characters in his songs.

â20 Hours From Memphisâ marks Royerâs first official effort as a singer/songwriter, making the transition from band member to solo performer. After 17 years in the local music scene, Royer as been inspired to meet or correspond with many of his musical heroes like John Mayall (Bluesbreakers), Richie Furay (formerly of the Buffalo Springfield, Poco and the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band), Levon Helm (The Band), Ian McLachan (The Small Faces and The Faces), Robbie Kreiger (The Doors), David Knopfler (Dire Straits), Little Sammy Davis (blues legend), and Gary Duncan (Quicksilver Messenger Service, the grandfathers of psychedelic rock along with the Grateful Dead). Shawn has also had the opportunity of working with local valley legends Kate Russo (electric violinist for the Elliots, Big Brother and the Holding Company), the Scones, Hans Olsen, and Big Pete Pearson. He has also performed with or opened for emerging independent artists like Tina Angotti, Inda Eaton, Christie McCarthy and New York band âBetty.â