On his debut recording, This Is Ryan Shaw, young soul singer Ryan Shaw showcases a timeless sound that's both classic in delivery and updated with modern audio fidelity.
Like many of the greats before him, Shaw began singing in church. He grew up in a strict Pentecostal family in Decatur, Ga., so his earliest influences were the gospel songs of Keith Brooks, James Moore and the Pace Sisters. He then loaned his voice to Tyler Perry's musical I Know I've Been Changed before landing a job with the performing cast of New York City's Motown Cafe, singing covers of Marvin Gaye and The Four Tops.
In 2004, Shaw was recruited by the soul/doo-wop revue the Fabulous Soul Shakers. The opportunity eventually led Shaw to producer Jimmy Bralower, who quickly jumped to produce the young singer. One of his featured numbers with the Soul Shakers, "Do the 45," is included here in a live performance from his 2007 appearance on Mountain Stage.
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