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SHIRLEY's BIOGRAPHY
Shirley's talent was discovered by accident when her brother injured his hand. Her parents bought him a theater organ to help rebuild the dexterity in his hand. It was during that time Shirley took an interest in music from listening to her brother. Years later, her Mom decided to purchase Shirley her first synthesizer. after that...four more keyboards followed, enabling her to expand her sounds. From then on,Shirley had all the sounds she ever needed to record her music.
THE EARLY YEARS : Loss of Shirley's Parents
Life dealt Shirley her first tragic blow, at age 16, her Mom became ill and passed away. At age 20, Shirley joined a band called QUEST that toured the U.S. and the Virgin Islands. Shortly after coming home from the Quest tour, life once again would be unkind.
Shirley lost her major source of inspiration, at age 21, her Dad passed away. He was very supportive of her music and also made all her keyboard's frames to stack & set up Shirley's keyboards on stage. When he passed, the music died within her. She retired from the music industry and pursued a college degree in accounting finance.
While attending college, a good friend mentioned that the university had a grand piano in the mansion ballroom at FDU. From that point on, a secret marriage developed between Cason and that baby grand piano. At night, after class, she would go to the ballroom when no one was there and fill that grand ballroom with one spirited soulful song after another.
During this time is when she was able to heal her wounded spirit to be able to return to the world of music.
Shirley then went on to build her recording studio, at the lake, and started her own music company, PEACEFUL WORLD MUSIC to record music that was calming to her soul.
After recording her first two albums, Forever In Bloom and her next album, Simply Christmas life again would be unkind... her oldest sister Carol passed away.
Shirley had to choose between recording another, "calming peaceful album" or "record the truth about what was going on in her life". What a commercial risk to her new company. But being truthful to herself as an artist, Shirley believes that art should reflect the "heart" of the writer. The next album, dedicated to her sister emerged... A Summer Dream CD
recorded from all the tears that her soul could bear...
Much to Shirley's surprised, A Summer Dream went on to get high reviews for being so brave to "wear her heart out on her sleeve". From that point on Shirley promised herself to only record music that she felt with all her heart and emotions when she records her music.
The following album, Winter Mornings, received such wonderful reviews and letters from fans from all over the world, Shirley knew that recording what moves her emotionally is definitely what people love and enjoyed about her music!
Then, there was a "gap in time", after the Winter Mornings. was recorded. Shirley states, "After I recorded my Winter Mornings CD... I lost my best friend of 25 years to cancer. It was a real blow to my heart. During that time, I kept trying to record another album, but I just couldn't focus. Everything that was I was recording was like "Blue Picasso's paintings". . I just didn't have the strength to record anymore of what I was feeling inside my heart, in the studio. It was too much to bear, too much crying over the songs..."
THEN... Inner Peacealbum emerged from the studio. Finally the musical gates were open again... The music was flowing.... and a brighter sounding CD was born with uplifting music with a story behind it. Enjoy reading the heart's felt story behind Shirley's emotional break through album. We thank you for taking this journey with us and just know that... All hearts do heal with time... ~
Following the Inner Peace album, it was decided it would be the right time to release Spa Music Collection, a compilation CD, of the most requested songs from her fans, that are peaceful & relaxing.
After the Spa album, Shirley recorded Relaxing Piano Music for a fan that wrote, "Shirley... My deceased father was a fabulous pianist... I miss him terribly. He died when I was sixteen of a massive heart attack. Things have never been the same since in my life. My question is do you have a CD of strictly piano recorded ?"
Since Shirley could relate so well from losing both her parents and sister & best friend, this e-mail really inspired her to record an "acoustic piano" version of songs from her previous albums. This album has become Shirley's best selling album on Amazon.com
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Shirley music influences:
Barbra Streisand:
for her fabulous voice & wonderful music orchestra arrangements.
Janis Ian:
for her brilliant song writing & her piano playing on her Columbia records albums.
Bette Midler:
for being the most over the top entertainer on stage and giving it ALL in her shows.
I also enjoy watching & listening to Adam Lambert with Queen.
David Foster:
for being a genus producer, especially on Barbra Streisand, Josh Groban albums.
Joni Mitchell:
Favorite Album : COURT and SPARKS :
This is the album I listen to when my personal world needs a sanity check :)
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