This week's issue of "Entertainment Weekly" has a great article about Shane McAnally. Shane is a songwriter who has recently had a great deal of success writing for some of the biggest artists in Nashville - Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, The Band Perry and Chris Young, just to name a few. He's also produced the debut album of Kacey Musgraves, a singer / songwriter who has been named Best New Artist at the recent Country Music Association Awards.Shane also happens to be gay.
He married his husband in 2012 and and talks in the article about how it's really not a big deal in Nashville. Although let's be honest, if he were a major act, it kinda would be.
The song that got McAnally noticed was Kenny Chesney's "Somewhere With You."
I'm gonna be honest, the first time I head the song, the lyric's screamed "Gay Love Song". Plus it is a Kenny Chesney song, and there have been rumors (there was a reason Renee divorced him).
And no, Chesney does nothing for me.
I looked at the list of songs that he has had a hand in writing and they are some of my favorite songs of late. Finding out that he is gay just seems to make sense. Not that the songs are necessarily "gay", but that there is a "gay sensibility" to them. That you could easily switch out genders in the song and it would still be a great song.
I was kinda surprised he didn't have a hand in Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me".
I've never been a big fan of artists who happen to be gay being promoted to the gay community simply because they are gay. "HEY! Support this guy because he's gay. Don't worry if the music is any good or not." For me it's about discovering the music and loving it. If the artist happens to be gay, cool bonus - nice to know.
Here are a couple of more songs written by Shane that I love.....
"Text Me Texas" by Chris Young
"Mama's Broken Heart" by Miranda Lambert
I love country music as well... HELLO, I live in Texas!!!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Shane, I'll have to check him out.
He has released some of this own recordings, but from the article, he's realized that his success lies in songwriting.
DeleteI'm still hoping Chris Young is a member of the family. Sigh. So handsome. :-) And that voice!
I haven't heard of him, but get EW every week so i'm looking forward to the article. Country music needs a few more out singer/song-writers.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really good article. It's interesting that in the Nashville music community, McAnally sees acceptance. Yet for a major artist to come out, a lot feel it would be a career killer.
DeleteI am wondering if this hunk is the son of singer mac mcanally. same spelling.
ReplyDelete(heh heh heh, anally...cause I am 12)
To my knowledge there isn't any relation. :-]
DeleteI really enjoy country music, it's tied at #1 with the likes of "contemporary adult" stuff, and some pop. You rarely hear about the songwriters, so many people assume that the songs performers turn into hits are written by said performers. Many times, they are not. I also get a kick when someone younger than me "loves this new song" and it's a cover from the 60-70-80's that they have never heard done by the original artist.
ReplyDeleteCool that Shane is gay. I'll have to listen to some of the music he's written! Thanks for the cool head's up!
Peace <3
Jay
I'm right there with ya Jay. Every time a remake comes out, I play the original for my kids. It's even more fun when just a sample is used. The kids get to hear the entire version of the song they are just hearing a snippet of.
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