Shayliff is a band you have probably heard of if you’ve been hanging around Shreveport for a while. They’ve made quite a racket in the past couple of years, and continue to grab the attention of the region. They have already opened for a few massive shows in the Monroe area, and regularly frequent bars like Strange Brew, Bear’s on Fairfield, and various festivals in the Arklatex. Shayliff has also made some strong strides in the recording world, and even collaborated with local film maestros Moviesauce for their music videos. Now, they have been selected for the Louisiana Music Prize. These guys seem to playing their cards right.
Recently, I got to sit down with Jacob McSharma, the band’s bassist, and hear what’s fresh in the world of Shayliff. To my surprise, I found out that two of the band members, Shay and Jacob, have been married within the last year. Uh oh! You know what they say about marriage and music: it’s normally a band’s death warrant. Shayliff seems to defy the odds though. They have been moving forward even faster and Jacob says 2015 has been their “best year yet.”
Shayliff’s first big hit was “Red Leather Jacket.” They premiered it at an album release party at Strange Brew, and were shocked by the positive reaction from fans. “It helped us dial in our sound,” said McSharma. “The fans responded to it. We had never gotten a response like that before.” Soon afterward, Shayliff rushed down to a studio in Baton Rouge to record the single. Then they turned around and filmed the music video for it. Boom! Suddenly, everybody knows about these local fellas with their rock ’n roll and red leather jackets (which they actually wear, by the way).
The momentum continues to build for the band as they get ready for the Louisiana Music Prize. They are currently working on a new full length record in Nashville with Paul Moak of Smoakstack Studios. Moak is a seasoned engineer and Nashville producer responsible for Toby Mac, Third Day and most recently The Weeks (Jackson, MS). The Shayliff boys had only good things to say about the experience. “Paul really succeeded at pulling good takes out of us,” said McSharma. “He created an environment where we could naturally flow.” As a fellow musician, that’s the best thing to hear. He also said the recordings are due out early next year and the band plans to keep traveling and playing shows. Glad to hear it. Can’t wait to hear what’s next!
