Texas-born singer/songwriter and guitarist Shawn Fussell isn’t afraid of hard work. He proved it in his previous career as a tilesmith, a joint-cracking, back-aching occupation where meticulous craftsmanship is the only acceptable standard. And he has proved it in his musical career, honing his skills and his art over a series of years and self-released albums until he was ready to release a full-fledged debut, Shawn Fussell (Fucam Records) that is up to his exacting standards.
Working with producer/engineer and musician Eric McKinney (Mark McKinney, the Weary Boys, Colin Gilmore) Shawn produced a handful of robust new songs which he paired with re-recorded and re-imagined songs from his previous independent releases to produce a cohesive new sound that fits organically into the Texas Music/Red Dirt country-rock sound of Texas and the Southwest while still keeping its roots in the innovative, genre-crossing tradition of Shawn’s musical idols.
Shawn’s debut single “Ride”, released Feb. ‘09, quickly climbed the Texas Music Charts earning a top 30 position. His new single “Tulia, TX”, is a song based on the true events of the racially induced ‘drug bust’ in the small Texas town of Tulia that made national headlines in 1999. Shawn tells this ’tempting’ story using the background of swampy and dirty Texas rhythms combined with an interesting lyrical approach to this compelling tale.
Music Made For Texas
Press
Texas Homegrown Music with Maylee Thomas on 95.3 KHYI The Range, Sundays at 8pm!
“...... John David Kent is to be commended for having produced a music video and then having it accepted by CMT’s Pure. It’s a feat in the creation of the video and its acceptance to a more national market, unique to John David, a Texas musician who is stepping out yet staying true. Many local performers hit the Texoma Music Chart this year, and there’s not room to list them all. Shawn Fussell’s “Ride,” Spur 503’s “Raisin’ The Bar,” and Jerry Audley’s “Storm” are just a few, and those are augmented by performers who regularly play in Texomaland, such as Johnny Cooper’s “Crazy,” The Tejas Brothers “Love Me Or Leave Me Alone,” and Radney Foster’s “Angel Flight.” Fussell, by the way, gets my vote for the “Rise Above the Hard Times” award.... ”
Mary Jane Farmer - Herald-Democrat
“ ...The 2009 music line-up included country legend Clay Walker, Kevin Fowler, Band of Heathens, Bad Company, South Austin Jug Band, Seth James, Brandon Rhyder, Brett Crenshaw, and Shawn Fussell. My impressions are that the more than 6,500 attendees were thrilled, the bands and sponsors had a great time and the event was a resounding success. I certainly enjoyed spending time with these dedicated young Texas volunteers. It was really great to see this generation so involved in the future of waterfowling and wetlands conservation and to see folks of all ages enjoying themselves in the name of the ducks. ”