biography
Shawna Russell was introduced onto the national music scene with the release of her debut CD, GODDESS, in early 2008. But her reputation as a world-class talent had already caught the attention of many folks in the music industry. Prior to the release of the CD, Shawna made her national television debut on the popular show “INSIDE MUSIC ROW” and the COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION named her as one of their “Who New To Watch in 2008” artists.
With the release of GODDESS, Shawna’s star began to rise. Soon, top music critics weighed in. Chris Neal of COUNTRY WEEKLY gave GODDESS a 3 ½ star review and MUSIC ROW’s Robert K.Oermann gave Shawna and the title single a “DISCovery Award,” his highest compliment to a new artist. Critical praise abounded, with rave reviews from MAVERICK, NASHVILLE MUSIC GUIDE, THE OKLAHOMAN, MUSIC NEWS NASHVILLE, COUNTRY STARS ONLINE and others.
In a short time, Shawna’s label, Way Out West Records, of which she is a partner, introduced her with the single, “Goddess” and she began touring radio stations across the country. Impressively, she made her way into coveted performance and interview slots on KBEQ-Kansas City’s highly-rated morning show with Mike Kennedy, Atlanta’s powerhouse WUBL, and on Washington DC’s “Voice of America” – which broadcasts to an international audience. And, she signed to Buddy Lee Attractions for booking.
You might ask: How did an Oklahoma-based singer/songwriter and performer make such an impact with a small independent label release in such a short time? The quick answer: She earned it.
Shawna first sang in public at age 7. At 13, she and her dad, Keith, formed a full-fledged country band that played for clubs and Elks Lodges nearly every weekend. Four years later, she joined her uncle Tim’s band, "Way Out West," which was already a successful regional band on the “A” club circuit across the Southwest. Shawna always carried her weight on-stage, building her remarkable chops on acoustic rhythm, electric slide and lead guitar.
From those beginnings, Shawna has since toured across much of the U.S., performing 2-6 nights a week, up to 5 sets a night, at many of the top live music clubs on the circuit, including The Grizzly Rose in Denver; Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth; and the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. She also performed in Canada and spent three years fronting and playing guitar in fellow Oklahoman, Ty England’s band, which included a USO Tour of Korea in 2005.
In 2007, Shawna began working on GODDESS, for which she co-wrote 12 of the 13 songs. The album was recorded in Oklahoma City and produced by her uncle, Tim Russell and Ted Curtis at Upstairs Productions Studio. Shawna’s powerful voice inspired several world-famous musicians to come to Oklahoma to record with her - including Russ Kunkel, drummer for Carly Simon and James Taylor, and David Santos, bassist for Elton John, Billy Joel and John Fogerty. Award-winning engineers followed suit; Shawna’s vocals were engineered by Julian King, who has worked with country superstars Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and Toby Keith – and the CD was mixed in L.A. by Nathaniel Kunkel, in between projects with Diana Ross and The Police.
Shawna is currently promoting her second single, “Should’ve Been Born With Wheels” and performing a busy schedule of casino, club and concert dates. After an incredible amount of hard work and years of perseverance, Shawna Russell has finally arrived. With her admirable resume - and even more extraordinary musical and vocal talents - coupled with her Southern charm and natural beauty, she is indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Retro and rockin’- to country and contemplative, Shawna Russell stakes her claim with a vocal intensity that will not be denied. It is clear that she means business.