“Loving life is easy, it’s learning how to live that’s the hardest part”
What I’ve Learned…
I’ve never much liked talking in the third person. Every movie that’s reached me, every book that’s spoken to me, has done so by letting me feel like I’m in the driver’s seat… like I could have a conversation with the characters. Any good song can only hope to do the same, and it’s been my mission since I was a kid to write those.
I was lucky enough to learn what I wanted to do with my life at a young age. Playing music in church taught me how to reach people at their heart. Playing music in bars when I was 16 taught me that humility and a good sense of humor may make people remember you better than anything you could do on a stage. I was raised in Dayton, OH, in a cozy suburban home that allowed me to spend more time developing and writing than worrying about money, food, or shelter. I am incredibly lucky and grateful for that. I currently live in Nashville, TN surrounded by a community of amazing singers, writers, players, and performers I get to call my friends.
This record, “Learning How To Live”, has been a quarter century labor of love for me. Written throughout the last 4 years, it covers relationships good and bad, the frustrations and joys of seeking, losing, and seeking again the things we long for in life, and most importantly for me, the realization that we’re all learning as we go. I’ve lived and re-lived each of these songs countless times, and never knew until we started recording them how much I could learn from my own writing. Songwriting has always been the looking glass I use to see the world, and through the persistent friendship and talent of my Producer, Paul Shearer, we now get to turn that looking glass over to you guys.
What kind of music is it?
I’m a dude and play guitar, so I’ve heard people say I remind them of John Mayer, Ryan Adams, or a decaffeinated Jason Mraz. Personally I like to think of my music as one part Jackson Browne, one part Hall & Oates, two big scoops of everything I heard from my stereo in the ‘90’s while ignoring my math homework, and a sprinkling of Sesame Street optimism. I learned to play guitar with The Beatles, Tom Petty, and James Taylor. e.e. cummings showed me that it’s not always what you say, but what you don’t say and how you say it.
Why I do it.
I’ve lived, loved, learned, and worked in the music industry for the greater part of 10 years. I’ve been A&R at an indie record label. I’ve helped build websites for artists like Lady Antebellum and Kelly Clarkson. I’ve played as a side-man for regional and national touring acts. But all of these have had one common thread; communicating music. My hope through songwriting is to connect with you guys, the readers, listeners, and music participators, in a way that I’ve only touched on so far. To start conversations. To make us ask ourselves the big, and the little questions… and then laugh about them a lot after. So here I am, writing for you, if only because I know there’s nothing else in the world I’d rather be doing. Let's talk.
Press Bio:
[for those of you who do appreciate the use of third person]
Tour Press Page // Song-A-Week Press Page
Michael Shoup has been working full time in the music industry since 2004. His tour experience ranges from house concerts, radio shows, and bars to festivals and state fairs. He has been featured as a spotlight performer at highly coveted showcase slots at SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX as well as the CMJ Film Festival in New York City. Michael has toured with The Stone Temple Pilots and has also worked with artists such as Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, and Kelly Clarkson. Michael's music is genuine and melodically timeless. He has even made an impression on Steven Schwartz (composer and lyricist of the musical, Wicked) who flew Shoup to his home in Los Angeles to perform a cover of "Defying Gravity."
