Shannon McNally
American songwriters create tunes that transcend time and space, with lyrics that intimately connect with listeners far and wide. It’s an art, but it’s also craft, one that often takes years to hone. Sometimes, though, an artist emerges fully formed, a sage old vet; Shannon McNally is one of those artists.
Jukebox sparrows is an utterly fearless 11-song debut with a heart that beats with passion and candor. McNally grew up on Long Island’s working class south shore. An anthropology major in college, she embarked on her very own personal study of human nature, crafting keenly observed songs that cut to the quick of her characters’ psyches. Plying her trade at coffee houses and clubs, she came upon kindered spirits who sent her music to a small publishing company, which eventually landed her at Capitol Records. Where she recorded her first full length album, Jukebox Sparrows with an all star recording cast (James Gadson(Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye), Jim Keltner(John Lennon. Ry Cooder), Bob Glaub(Linda Rondstadt, B.B. King), Benmont Tench(Tom Petty), Greg Leisz(John Mitchell, Bill Frisell, Dave Avlin) and Horn Aranger Daryl Leonard(Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahall), Joshua Grange (Victoria Williams, Mark Olsen). The record produced by Ron Aniello and Joshua Grange was very well received by critics and earned her a 3 1/2 star review from Rolling Stone Magazine. The album’s title is a nod to her life long romance with records which began with a Leadbelly record that her father gave her when she was five.
Despite the album’s promise, it was shelved indefinitely amidst power struggles at Capitol. In the interim, McNally opened for Stevie Nicks and Ryan Adams, and was part of the 1999 Girl’s Room tour with Tara MacLean, Kendall Payne, and Amy Correia. She also modeled for Urban Decay cosmetics.
In 2000, McNally issued the holdover EP Bolder Than Paradise. When Capitol finally issued Jukebox Sparrows in January 2002, it did so into a market that had already embraced such roots-flavored material as Ryan Adams and the O Brother, Where Art Thou phenomenon. McNally embarked on an extensive press tour, and spent the summer of that year supporting John Mellencamp. In late 2002, she released the Ran on Pure Lightning EP. A casual, easygoing recording, the project was a collaboration with songwriter Neal Casal.
McNally is currently living in New Orleans where she has just finished her second album entitled Geronimo. Produced by Charlie Sexton in Lafayette, Louisiana again with an amazing cast of greats (Tony Hall, Raymond Weber, Ian McLaggen, Tony Garnier and Greg Leisz) the album will be available in 2004.
