California born Willie Shaw, a relative country newcomer with the soulful vibe of Gavin DeGraw and Jason Mraz and the smooth vocals of Chris Stapleton, recently released his single “Moonlight Memories” off his upcoming debut album Roots, set for release in 2023.
Written by Shaw and Jim Beavers, the easy listening tune features Shaw’s free flowing vocals that instantly captivates the listener into a dream of the stars, moonlight, and tender moments caught in a romantic evening. Shaw’s ability to capture these images is impeccable while the combination of his vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation will surely push this song into a popular slow dance tune.
We recently caught up with Willie to find out a bit more about this natural born entertainer and his Moonlight Memories.
CN: Could you please tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
WS: Hey! I’m Willie Shaw. I grew up in Southern California and played baseball in college at William and Mary in Virginia. I got a masters of accounting degree while I was playing and my first job was with NASA. After a couple years in Nashville I got a publishing deal and music became my full time job.
CN: Your mother sang backup vocals. What advice, if any, did she give you about the music business?
WS: She gives me a ton of advice (sometimes more than I ask for), but most importantly she constantly critiques my vocals. I believe that is what has made me such a good vocalist, little tips and tricks for air support, pronunciation, etc. After a while those things go a long way in protecting and sustaining a voice.
CN: You played sports in high school as well as sang in the choir. If you weren’t pursuing music, would you have stuck with a sports career?
WS: If I were good enough, hell yeah! I still play basketball about 2-4 times a week. I joke that I am a professional basketball player, not because I am paid or anything but almost all of my meaningful connections in music have happened on a basketball court.
CN: It states in your bio that you drew inspiration from pop groups and some blues singers, what was it about those particular genres that drew you to country music?
WS: I love that you can talk about faith, family, and values in country writing. That’s pretty tough to do, and do well, in pop. I also came to a realization that most of the music I grew up on in the 70’s would be considered country now. As I dove more into that I realized that I actually aligned better with country than I thought.
CN: You auditioned for The Voice as well as opened for a wide variety of heavy hitters like Old Dominion, Brantley Gilbert, and Sammy Hagar. What did you take away from those experiences?
WS: That it is a blessing to be able to play music for any crowd. All of them had stories of playing to empty chairs somewhere along their career path. I have also learned there are multiple ways to be defined in music. First, you are defined by how the music feels and what it says. Second, you are defined by who you are away from the music and how you connect with people on and off stage. The three you mentioned were as authentic off stage as they were on. I hope to be in that same category.
CN: You just released your single “Moonlight Memories.” Can you please explain the meaning behind it?
WS: My girlfriend and I got really into puzzles. We would pop open a bottle of wine and put a movie on in the background while we put them together. This particular puzzle was a scene from Tangled, the Disney movie. There is a boat floating in the water and there are lanterns all over the sky. It looked like a scene from the bayou. It felt really romantic and the picture was full of life. As we were doing the puzzle I began to feel the song in the depths of my subconscious. For the next few days I thought about that image and then I thought about the richness of the moment between my girlfriend and I putting the puzzle together. It was a great night.
In short, “Moonlight Memories” was an attempt at capturing the nostalgia of what a romantic night can be. As it turns out, you can’t really plan it, they just happen.
CN: The song showcases your versatility with influences of Chris Stapleton and Van Morrison, thus dubbing your sound “urban cowboy finesse”. Can you explain what that is?
WS: After living in Nashville for a while I have watched the sound change. There has been a groundswell of a soulful, back to basics feeling. With all the depression and over production of today’s modern music it just felt right to go this direction. I have found a shocking number of people in my circles listening to music of the past more than the present. Bands like the Eagles, Steve Miller Band, and the Laurel Canyon sound. So the “urban cowboy finesse’’ is something like being surrounded by the aura of the city while maintaining the roots.
CN: “Moonlight Memories” is also featured on your upcoming album Roots, slated for a 2023 release. Can you share some details on this album, the songs, and any collaborations you might have?
WS: There is A LOT of music coming. The sound is meant to be a breath of fresh air. A walking away from the madness of the modern music landscape. It’s a bit outside the traditional sound but I think people will resonate with it strongly. There has been something special happening while we have been putting it together and my belief is that the listener will feel that. At the end of the day the music isn’t about me, it’s about the listener. It’s about adding some paint to the canvasses of their lives. I would be honored to do that. That may seem a bit different than most of the folks you interview but it’s intended to be. Annnnd, if it doesn’t work I’ll go write the same generic lyrics, with the same 4 chords progressions and slam my head against the wall like everyone else in the industry haha.
Stream “Moonlight Memories” here.
For more information on Willie Shaw, visit his website at willieshawmusic.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.