Shannon Roy Pushes Through Tragedy with Gratitude on Debut Record

EAGLE BRIDGE – Not everyone can walk away from devastation, continuing to strive forward with their passion. For every majority there is a strong exception, and this is certainly the case with Shannon Roy. Displaying an amazing amount of personal strength, Roy pushed through the tragedy of having her house burn down, to craft what is an amazing debut album, A Woman’s Soul. Celebrating that album, Roy is holding an album release party at Unihog on Saturday, November 25^th.

To purchase your tickets to the release party, please click here.

I was more than happy to get a chance to sit down with the busy and budding songwriter (she was on her way to the airport shortly after our interview!) prior to her event. What follows is our conversation.

Lucas Garrett: Hey there, Shannon, thanks for taking the time for an interview! How’re you doing?

Shannon Roy: I’m doing great thanks! How are you?

LG: I’m doing well, thank you! I hear you have a debut album release happening this Saturday at Unihog! That’s awesome, and congratulations! Tell us a bit about what this means for you as an artist, and about the album in general.

SR: Yes, the album release is happening on Saturday at Unihog in Hoosick Falls. It has been a dream of mine for quite some time to create an album of original music. It has been a wonderful learning experience during which time I have been so lucky to meet and work with some very talented musicians.

I suppose I have never really thought of myself as an artist, so it is difficult for me to elaborate on what the album means to me in that regard. But it has been such a wonderful experience. The album in general is a culmination of different experiences, different relationships, and different styles of music that I enjoy.

LG: Is there anything about the release show that you’d like folks to know?

SR: It is going to be one heck of a good time!! The band I’m singing with is a group of some of our area’s most talented musicians, and just the best people: Darryl Kniffen, Stevie Dillard, Tony Califano, Matthew Steckler, Andrew Crawford, and Taronte Venable. Tickets are available on Eventbrite and will be available at the door. With the purchase of a ticket, you also get a free album.

LG: Well, in my view, anyone that has the gumption and drive to not only create, but be willing to put it out there for others to see and hear is an artist!

SR: Thank you so very much!

LG: You’re most welcome! I’d love to circle back to the different styles of music — there’s a lot going on in this record. From moments reminiscent of newer jazz artists like Norah Jones, to singer-songwriters the likes of Yael Naim, and various country artists, there’s a lot of ground you’re covering! What shaped your tastes as a listener – and now as a songwriter – over the years?

SR: I’ve been exposed to so many different types of music over the years and really just loved all of it in some way. I think what really pulls me in is the story that’s being told either through the lyrics or the music itself in addition to how a song makes me feel. As a songwriter, I felt that it was important to not limit myself to one particular genre, especially considering this is my first time writing. Darryl Kniffen was incredible at steering the musical aspect of the songs and managed to bring a whole new dynamic to some of them that I just love.

LG: Songwriters are living crucibles. They take what is around them, and mold it into creations that are often better than the sum of the parts they were inspired by to write a particular song. How has this journey of songwriting affected you in regards to dealing with the highs and lows you’ve experienced in your life?

SR: In writing some of these songs I was able to really let go of some weighty emotions that I didn’t even realize I had been carrying around with me for years. There were also a couple that brought up some very intense memories that I had been avoiding a bit, but the process of writing helped me reshape the way I continue to hold those memories and really allowed me to move past them in a manner that brought me closure and peace. Then of course, towards the conclusion of this project my house burned down…  so… I reached out to Darryl and said, “Hey… I think I’d like to re-write and record one of the songs,” which became “Whiskey on the Rocks.”

LG: What you went through with your house – to say the very least – is something that can break even the sturdiest of minds and bring people to their knees. Through all of this, has music helped you process that tragedy?

SR: Music and my dog (Gunner) have truly kept me going throughout this year. I have had a very busy year playing solo acoustic gigs on the weekends, which I love, and I have been able to see some of my favorite local bands. I also started writing a few different songs about the fire and the animals I lost, however I think those were more of a therapeutic way for me to start grieving and process emotions that I was struggling to navigate versus something that I would want to publish. I also noticed that after I would write about what happened and what was lost, I would immediately begin to feel immense gratitude for what I still have, for my friends and my family and of course for my good boy, Gunner. I truly believe that life has a way of balancing itself out and I’m beginning to experience the flip side of how my year started.

LG: This is an amazing take away from such a defining moment, that it far exceeds the word “inspiring.” Lastly, before we wrap the interview up, is there anything else you’d like to elaborate on that I may have missed?

SR: I would like to give special thanks to Sam Clement for his amazing guitar work on the album. I would also like to thank Vanessa Lewis and Josh Capen for the amazing photos they took that were used for the album’s artwork. I had an absolute blast making this album with Darryl Kniffen, who is truly one of the best people I know, and I can’t thank him enough.

LG: Thanks so much, again, for your time tonight, Shannon! Best of luck with your album release!

SR: Thank you so much for taking the time to check out the album and to chat with me!