On Friday, October 2nd, friends and supporters of Shane Michael Taylor gathered at Tequila’s Restaurant in Waterbury, CT to celebrate his debut album release. The album, titled ‘I Will Stand,’ consists of 13 tracks all co-written by Taylor, and while each song is an incredible work of art on its own, it’s Shane Michael Taylor’s astounding story that truly inspires.
Shane was born with a severe form of Cerebral Palsy, a disorder that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. This disorder has left him in a wheelchair, requiring assistance to do most everyday tasks, but Shane proved to everyone at a young age that he wasn’t going to allow his condition to stand in the way. At just five years old he taught himself to type with his nose, and at six, he began to work on his balance by attending an after-school camp at a local equestrian farm. He’s had a passion for Country music from a young age, and after earning college degrees in both music business and sound recording, Taylor pursued a career in the music industry.
For someone who struggles with communication, Shane was determined to have his voice heard. He spent years working diligently on this album, and was beaming with excitement on the night of the release party. It was a long day for Shane, who was up for 23 hours as he had to wake up at 3:00 am to go live on the morning news. But if Taylor was tired, it went unnoticed. He spent the duration of the party greeting guests and individually thanking everyone for coming as the DJ played tracks from the album.
The restaurant that hosted the party had a back room specifically dedicated to Shane’s album release, although the room filled up quickly and people spilled out into the bar. Luckily, even those seated at or around the bar were still able to hear Shane’s music. At the back of the party room, a table was set up where guests could purchase Taylor’s album and audiobook as well as read more about Shane’s story. Additionally, Shane was accepting donations for Wagon Hope Ministries. Shane admitted that it was his first release party and he wasn’t quite sure how they should be done, but if the point is to celebrate and showcase one’s album, he hit the nail on the head. The DJ worked Taylor’s tracks into the playlist, announcing each one before it was played, and about halfway through they put the music on hold to read a speech written by Shane.
The speech was sincere, full of gratitude, and inspiring. He started off by simply thanking everyone for their loyalty and encouragement, “I’m so grateful for everyone who has supported me for the last thirty-something years… there were a few times when I almost gave up on this project, so I really want to thank you guys for all your support and love.” He touched on the significance of his hometown of Waterbury, CT, but as many of the people in the room have been long-time supporters of Taylor, he didn’t go into too much detail about his story. While the speech was very heartfelt, there were moments when Shane’s sense of humor surfaced. “When I stop and think about everything that is going on it really blows my mind–I can’t even talk on key, let alone f****** sing. I speak for a living and now I’m a Country artist with an album out in the world,” everyone in the room, including Shane, laughed at the irony. The focus of the evening was on having fun and celebrating the album, not the struggles Taylor had to overcome to get to this place, so he kept most of the speech light. At the conclusion of Shane’s speech, guests continued to eat, drink, and mingle amongst each other while the DJ returned to playing tracks from the album.
Each of the songs tells a story with the album portraying a range of emotions. There are upbeat, carefree songs and songs with a bit of humor, accompanied by some slower, more melancholy tracks. Shane had worked with some incredible songwriters from Nashville on this album, such as Mason Douglas and Lorna Flowers, but he explained, “Most of the lyrics were actually written before I went down to Nashville, so there is a lot of inspiration from my time in Waterbury in these songs.” Taylor has a way of putting his emotions and experiences into lyrics that just about anyone can relate to, even though we may not truly understand exactly what he’s gone through. Observing the room as the album was being played, it was clear that everyone was pleased with what they heard.
The album opens with ‘Livin This Rodeo,’ which perfectly embraces Shane’s spirit. With lyrics like, “Life has tossed and turned me, almost threw me off. But I’m strong enough to hang on, I’ll keep hangin tough, livin this rodeo,” it sends a message to the listener about staying positive and enjoying life’s ride. Track four is one of the more fun, lighter songs on the album which is evident just by reading the title, ‘Alcohol of Fame.’ The song is sure to get a laugh or two as it describes some mishaps due to overindulgence in the verses. The chorus provides lyrics like, “As soon as ugly and beautiful are one in the same, that’s when you know you’re headed for the alcohol of fame,” which are set to upbeat instrumentals providing the perfect combination for an all-around fun song. One of the more somber tracks on the album, ‘I’m Giving In,’ demonstrates the struggles Shane had to endure. The lyrics in the beginning are dark and dismal, “I’m too weak to climb this mountain and my heart is wearing thin, I’m giving in,” and “No one will ever miss me, I don’t even have one friend. Just a burden to my family, and it’s too late to make amends.” But as Taylor emphasized in his speech earlier that night, “We all have struggles, and we are not alone in those struggles,” so while the track is quite grim, it seems to be more of a representation of what we can overcome. He ends the song with the lyrics, “I’m giving in to the strength I’ll find within… I live this daily battle, one that I’m going to win.”
Shane Michael Taylor has already won many of life’s battles and has proven to be stronger and more determined than many people out there. He hopes to serve as an inspiration and a symbol of hope for everyone to become who they are really meant to be. As he states in the liner notes of the album, “To that one person who thinks your goals and dreams are impossible to reach – this album proves otherwise. You have what it takes to do what you were born to do despite your struggles, challenges, hardships and fears. If you truly believe in something – go for it. Life is way too short not to.” It’s without a doubt that everyone left Shane’s album release party feeling inspired. We at New England Country Music are happy to support Shane as he continues on his journey and are excited to see what the future holds for him!
You can follow Shane on Twitter here.
You can purchase a copy of ‘I Will Stand’ here.