Shannon McNally was born and raised on Long Island, New York but has spent most of her adult life traveling and lived in a number of places. After graduating college with a degree in Religious Anthropology she followed Los Lobos out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. She quickly signed with Perry Watts-Russell to Capitol Records/ EMI.
Her debut album released in January of 2002, Jukebox Sparrows (Capitol Records), garnered rave reviews and revealed itself as a surprisingly confident musical and lyrical debut for such a young songwriter. Rolling Stone Magazine gave it 3 1/2 stars. It also spawned the AAA radio hit “Now That I Know,” which appeared on the ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ soundtrack. The several independent releases which followed ‘Jukebox Sparrows’ were warm folky records that went over well with the coffee house crowd. Her song “Pale Moon” from Ran On Pure Lightning ‘was picked up by Putamayo Records as the first track on their American Folk Album.
In 2005 she released ‘Geronimo’ on Back Porch Records (EMI). Produced by Charlie Sexton, the record got a lot of strong support at AAA radio and on Satelite Radio. The songs on ‘Geronimo’ were written well before Hurricane Katrina as a love letter to New Orleans, where Shannon lived and had become a regular on the music scene. Touring the material in the wake of Katrina, the music’s innate earthy-end-of-the-world-defiance took on a weight and pathos which ultimately defined McNally’s true strength as a songwriter.
McNally has toured with Willie Nelson, Stevie Nicks, John Mellencamp, Charlie Sexton, Son Volt, Ryan Adams, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Rail Road Earth and Rufus Wainwright. She has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Mountain Stage and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She has recorded with the likes of Dr. John, Hal Wilner, Jim Dickinson and Charlie Sexton.
Her discography includes 7 releases (Bolder Than Paradise (EP), Jukebox Sparrows (LP), Ran On Pure Lightening (EP), Run For Cover (LP), Geronimo (LP), North American Ghost Music Live (LP), South Side Sessions (EP). Her voice has appeared on recordings by John Hiatt, Rufus Wainwright, and Son Volt among others.
One year after Hurricane Katrina, Shannon recorded ‘Windswept Moon’ in Coldwater, Mississippi with Jim Dickinson. Backed by The Yallabushwackers - of Thacker Mountain Radio fame - as well as Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, ‘Windswept Moon’ is a bold rock record with a strong country-soul vein. Penned in the aftermath of Katrina, the songs are plump with a sense of homesickness for the New Orleans she could not return to and gratitude to the Mississippi that took her and her young family in. The album is topped off with a particularly poignant duet with Ray LaMontagne.
‘Small Town Talk,’ recorded in December of 2007 and produced by Dr. John - Mac Rebennac, came about after a chance on-stage meeting with Dr. John during a tribute to the great Louisiana Swamp Pop legend Bobby Charles, at the New Orleans’ Jazz and Heritage Festival earlier that year. For the album, Shannon chose 15 songs that spanned the songwriter’s career, giving particular emphasis to the songs from Bobby’s days with The Band in Woodstock in the early 1970’s.
McNally is currently working on several recording projects and continues to do live performances. She performs both solo accoustic and with her live band called Hot Sauce.
ShannonMcNally.com
Her discography includes 7 titles. (Bolder Than Paradise (EP), Jukebox Sparrows (LP), Ran On Pure Lightening (EP), Run For Cover (LP), Geronimo (LP), North American Ghost Music Live (LP), South Side Sessions (EP)
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The Southside Sessions EP.......................North American Ghost Music Live
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Geronimo....................................................Napster Live July 2005
Have fun tonight Shannon (met you at Ginty '07 w/MK Ace x Clubs RD aftershow)... Hope to see a vid or blog about it please!! Come to PA soon also another please beg thanks k deal :)
Greetings to you and yours. Just showing my folks your space and letting them listen to your music again. Of course, I have brought the cds home already but I wanted them to put a name with a face. Hope you are well. I can't wait until Thacker - that is if I don't have to work. I also can't wait to hear the new songs! Peace - jill
I hope you had the sweetest of birthday's, lovin' your Maeve in your arms : o ) It was so great to see you in Phily at the dance studio. Mmmmmmmmmmississippi!!!!
Thanks for the friendship
<br />I like your music
<br />I hope all is well
<br />If you have time, listen Django
<br />myspace.com/gillband
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Hey Shannon...grabbed your cd, North American Ghost Music..LOVED Weathervane when you performed it with A4..But I absolutely loooove Bolder Than Paradise. Great stuff. Just wanted to say thanks for the fantastic music. Keep rockin'.
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