Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan Shelley.
Dylan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started playing guitar when I was in 6th grade. My dad and I listened to classic rock together and he would play his acoustic guitar and sing our favorite songs. My grandfather was a jazz guitarist who was great friends with Chet Atkins and owned a guitar shop in Houston for years. I would sing in the shower and in the car but I wasn’t really “trying” to sing until I graduated College and listened to my heart to pursue my dream in being an artist/musician. When I graduated College, I had a degree and nothing I particularly wanted to pursue. I had just followed the rules my whole life and honestly thought once I graduated college id be able to get whatever job I wanted. Obviously, that’s not the case, which led me to really think about what I wanted to do with my life. Around the same time, I was looking for a job. I went through a bad breakup which furthered my soul searching journey. I used music to cope with the pain and uncertainty. During this time, I discovered artists like John Mayer and Chris Stapleton. Between their incredible songwriting, guitar playing, and vocal talents, I knew that is what I wanted to do. In 2017, my journey as a new artist, singer, and songwriter began.
Now, most would say that’s pretty late to start a career choice such as that. Some of the people I play alongside have been singing and playing shows since they were teenagers. How would I be able to learn and perform their level? My competitiveness has gotten me where I am today. Sometimes It is over the top and I am completely aware of that but It has helped me succeed in life. I have that Michael Jordan competitiveness to where sometimes it hinders my sense of reality. I truly believe that anything that I do, I can be the greatest at it. It is now 2020 and I have wrote over 30 songs and recorded 10 of them professionally. I have released three and will be releasing another one next month. I play shows every weekend and have made music a full-time career all in less than three years. I had never written a song or seriously sang until 2017. No matter what anyone says about my age or current abilities, I know that I am doing what I love and I am only getting better each and every day. I hope that my story encourages people to chase their dreams and for them to realize its never to late to be a rockstar!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the obstacles I’ve had to overcome include things such as understanding that as a musician, I will not be making $100,000 a year most likely ever. Not that this is a salary or amount that I really want but at the same time I made this decision, I also got married and had to think about long term career choices and potentially starting a family in the next five years or so.
Releasing music is a vulnerable thing. Putting your art out for everyone to judge and critique is a scary feeling. When I released a song and saw that it didn’t go viral like I hoped, I had to take a step back and realize that I am in this for the long haul. I’m doing this for the right reasons, which is because Its what I love to do. Not to get rich or famous. Im fortunate that I can play shows and make money as well. Some people look at musicians as “not a real job.” When I came out and told everyone that’s what I was doing, I was afraid of the comments and people looking at me like I was crazy. I have grown a thicker skin and don’t care what people think about me as much anymore.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I write songs, sing, and play guitar. I play pop, rock, country and blues music. I am proud that in less than three years have not only learned those skills but have already achieved my goal to be a full-time artist. If you talk to someone who plays music for a living, most of the time, they will tell you that they have been playing since they were young and that they knew their whole life. That’s what they wanted to do. What sets me apart is that’s not the case for me. I’m walking proof that you can decide to make music your career even if you decide later on in life and haven’t played since you were a kid.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I wouldn’t say that I have one moment that I’m proud of. I am just proud that I’m making it all happen from writing and releasing my own original music, to playing live shows every weekend and it actually being my career.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dylanshelley.com
- Phone: 817-504-6601
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylan_shelley_music/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dylanshelleymusicc/
- Twitter: @DylanShelleyTX
Image Credit:
AET Photos
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