View source for Shawn Z.

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{short description|American musician}}
{{multiple issues|
{{autobiography|date=August 2013}}
{{BLP sources|date=November 2014}}
{{notability|Biographies|date=November 2014}}
}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name                = Shawn Z.
| image                 = Shawn Z.jpg
| caption            = Shawn Z. (right) performing live on May 13, 2008.
| image_size            =
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          =
| alias               =
| Born                =
| death_date          =
| instrument          = vocals, acoustic guitar
| genre               = [[Americana (music)|Americana]], [[alternative country]], [[outlaw country]], [[roots rock]], [[folk rock]]
| label               = [[GypZee]]
| occupation          = Singer, songwriter
| years_active        =
| associated_acts     = [[The Badlees]]
| website                 = [http://www.shawn-z.com]
}}
'''Shawn Z.''' is an American [[folk rock]]/[[Americana (music)|Americana]] singer and guitarist. He is a member of the [[Americana Music Association]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indiecharts.com/index.php|title=Indie Music Charts|website=indiecharts.com|accessdate=August 26, 2019}}</ref>
== Early years ==
Shawn had a band called "Elmo Lincoln",  later called "South 40", that played local bars and clubs.  He later formed the band "BFD" with his father, and later "The Cojones Brothers" – an acoustic duo.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
== Radio ==
In Shawn's teenage years, he first DJed at a local teen center after school and on weekend nights, and embarked on a career as a DJ.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
Years later, the radio station he was working was bought out by the national corporate radio company [[Citadel Broadcasting]]. Citadel moved him to their Northeast Pennsylvania headquarters to help with current station buyouts, format changes, on-air duties, and commercial/imaging production.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
In January 2008, he was asked to come back to the same radio studios that once was the home of the station that brought Shawn to Citadel.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
He is still active in radio with the reservation radio station and voice-tracking for stations.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
== Musical career ==
In October 2004, Shawn recorded with old friends Bret Alexander, Paul Smith and Ron Simasek from "[[The Badlees]]".{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
In Bret's studio "Saturation Acres" they recorded nine songs which became Shawn's debut independent release "[[Wishful Drinkin']]" released in January 2005.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
Wishful Drinkin' reached No. 11 while on the Americana charts for 14 weeks.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
At the beginning of 2008, Shawn and the band went back into the studio. This time, he had friend and former WEMR general manager Jim Petrie as a co-writer on many of the songs recorded. They named this recording ''[[Saint Jude Avenue]]'', which was released Sept. 2008 with singles "Poison Water", "Half Baked" and "Uncle Willie".{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
== Discography ==
=== Albums ===
* Wishful Drinkin' (2005)
* Saint Jude Avenue (2008)
=== Singles ===
* Wishful Drinkin' (2005)
* Talking Cover Band Blues (2005)
* Hey Judge Judy (2005)
* Been Down (2005)
* Poison Water (2008)
* Half Baked (2008)
* Uncle Willie (2008)
* Summertime Blues (2010)
== References ==
{{reflist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111002093839/http://www.juniorscave.com/ShawnZ.html Shawn Z interview at Junior's Cave]
* Amplifier Magazine (not online)
* [http://www.xmradio.com/search/artistsearch.xmc?artist=shawn+z Shawn Z.]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at Sirius [[XM Satellite Radio]] – Channel 12 'Outlaw Country' radio charts
* [http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/shawnzmusic2 Shawn Z.] at [[CD Baby]]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/shawn-z-mn0000152478 Shawn Z. | Album Discography]
* Wishful Drinkin' on AllMusic [http://www.allmusic.com/album/wishful-drinkin-mw0000693767 Wishful Drinkin' – Shawn Z. | Songs, Reviews, Credits]
* Saint Jude Avenue on AllMusic [http://www.allmusic.com/album/saint-jude-avenue-mw0001357026 Saint Jude Avenue – Shawn Z. | Songs, Reviews, Credits]
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:American folk rock musicians]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]