Shawn Camp’s music sprawls across the lines that divide country, Americana, bluegrass and roots rock. A bold and distinctive singer/songwriter, he has penned songs for Ralph Stanley, Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Garth Brooks and Brooks & Dunn. As an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, he has played with the Yonder Mountain String Band, Alan Jackson, the Osborne Brothers and John Prine.
Born and raised in Arkansas, Camp grew up surrounded by music—everything from his parents’ Elvis Presley and Merle Haggard records to home picking parties to the bluegrass festivals his family regularly attended. Before he even finished high school, he was playing fiddle at country dances near his home and hitting festival stages around the Midwest.
Spotted by the Grand Ole Opry’s Osborne Brothers at an Iowa festival when he was 20, Camp moved to Nashville in 1987 to play fiddle with the legendary bluegrass act and live the life of a sideman, touring with artists including the Burch Sisters, Jerry Reed, Alan Jackson, Suzy Bogguss and Trisha Yearwood.
Camp developed as a prolific songwriter along the way, signing to Reprise Records in 1992 and releasing his eponymous major label debut in 1993. Mainstream success proved elusive, but Camp, undismayed, remained in Nashville and delved into songwriting. His catalog grew steadily, as did the list of his songs recorded by major country artists, and Camp’s first number-one hit came in 1997 when superstar Garth Brooks scored with “Two Piña Coladas.” Another number-one came in 1998 when Camp co-wrote “How Long Gone” for Brooks & Dunn. Camp’s “Forever Ain’t No Trouble Now” appeared on the Grammy-winning 2002 Jim Lauderdale-Ralph Stanley collaboration Lost in the Lonesome Pines.
Still intent on recording his own material, Camp released Lucky Silver Dollar on his own label in 2001. Live at the Station Inn followed in 2004 on John Prine’s Oh Boy Records, featuring an all-star bluegrass cast and jump-starting Camp’s performing career. Appearances followed at high-profile events such as Colorado’s Rockygrass festival, the Northwest String Summit and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual World of Bluegrass convention. Camp also opened for Prine on an extensive tour of the Pacific Northwest.
Camp released Fireball in 2006, further cementing his reputation as a scorching musician and one of Americana/roots music’s smartest, most authentic and supremely talented voices.
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