A life in music

The story plays out time and time again on “American Idol” and “The Voice”. Singers audition for those TV shows and others like them, or move across the country, seeking their big break.
Ian Shannon seems almost as if he’d rather avoid even the possibility of fame and fortune.
“I’m not looking to be a rock star or anything like that,” said the Dunkirk native and 2006 Jay County High School graduate. “I’m just trying to make music that makes me happy that I enjoy that hopefully somebody else can get something out of as well.
“I think that’s what’s most important, having something that’s meaningful.”
Shannon released his first album — “In to and Out From” — on his own Sleep For the Weary label earlier this year. He’s sold about 100 copies thus far, and is more than happy with that.
He’s proud of the work he did — and he did it all.
From the first track — “The Dead Speak” — to the last — “The Dead Walk” — on the album that is a mix of heavy metal, hard rock and softer acoustic tracks, Shannon penned every one. And that was just the beginning.
“I wrote everything,” he said. “I performed all the instruments. I sang everything. I recorded it all. I mixed it all. I did everything on it.”
Shannon’s love for music started early, and he learned to play the guitar when he was about 10 years old. He joined the school band playing the saxophone in fifth grade, switched to drums at JCHS and was drum major for the Marching Patriots during his senior year.
He was also involved in a variety of local bands, including Save Our Syndicate with classmates Cory Mock and Robert Ralston.
He earned his psychology degree from Ball State University in 2010, but was unsure of what step to take next. He’d had opportunities to move to Nashville Tenn., where his brother Shawn already lived with his family, but had never made the leap.
It was one love of his life — then fiancé, now wife Erica — who encouraged him to pursue the other.
“She was really the one who pushed me to do it,” Shannon said. “If she hadn’t done that I probably never would have moved.”
Shannon spent about a year working on his debut album, which is available on iTunes, CD Baby, Rhapsody, Beats Audio and Google Play. He said views finishing “In to and Out From” as the start of something, because he’s seen so many talented musicians spend years working on a project and never being able to finish it and move on to something new.
In addition to producing his own music, he’s also helped others like Joey+Rory, a husband and wife country duo, and Framing Hanley, a rock trio, with recording their projects. And he teaches newcomers to the industry the ins and outs of the recording process.
He meets some of the musicians he collaborates with through his day job as an assistant manager at Nashville’s Guitar Center, one of the company’s largest locations.
“That is really nice because I get to work a full-time job there while still being involved in music and recording … and when I get home I’m not exhausted … because I’ve been doing what I love,” Shannon said. “And then I get to come home and make even more music.”
He’d like to sell a few more copies of his first album, and he’s already started writing songs for his next one. He hopes some of his songs strike a chord with those who listen.
But he talks nothing of being on the radio or playing to sold-out arenas.
Instead he says “there’s a lot of personal reward to just share something … with the world.
“If I could just go through a peaceful life and not get into too much trouble, but be able to make a living making music — nothing fancy, not getting rich or anything like that … spend time with my wife and eventually start a family … I think that would be pretty good.”[[In-content Ad]]