I grew up in Crittenden, Kentucky which is just below the Mason-Dixon Line. It's a rural tobacco and cattle farming community that lies between Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky. I can still picture the front porch that I would sing on all summer long overlooking rolling hills, old barns, and tobacco fields. My grandpa and dad would occasionally pick up a guitar and sing there with me too. Whether it was a Hank Sr., Carter Family, Tom T. Hall, Buck Owens, Bill Monroe, or Merle Haggard song I loved it.
There was always music in our house, and when I stumbled over an old worn out tape of Tanya Tucker's greatest hits it changed my life. I wanted to sing like the girl on that tape! From there I found Patty Loveless, Dolly Parton, Suzanne Cox, Ricky Skaggs, Don Williams, Keith Whitley, and many more artists that would become my heroes and inspiration through the years. I was also influenced by Blanche Coldiron, a Kentucky Music Hall of Famer. Blanche lived just a mile down the road and played any musical instrument with strings. She taught me a lot of Appalachian folk songs and encouraged me to play along with her while she played the fiddle, banjo, guitar, etc. I'm so thankful I got to learn those old songs that are such a part of Kentucky's heritage and country music history.
Although I wanted to move to Nashville right out of high school, I decided to go to college. I financed most of my college years, in part, with my band called "Southern Exposure." Two weeks after graduating from college, I moved to Nashville. Through a development deal, lots of co-writes with some of the best hit makers in Nashville (Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz, Charlie Daniels, Bill Anderson, Deborah Allen, etc…), patience, and determination, I was signed to a major record deal with Disney's Lyric Street Records. While at Lyric Street, I made an album with award winning producer Brent Rowan who produced such artists as Joe Nichols, Julie Roberts, Blake Shelton to name a few. I also had a single released there and am currently working toward my next record deal.
I have also been fortunate enough to have had some of my compositions licensed and recorded by other artists. My first number one on the 'Music Roots Charts' is a song that was recorded by DARIN AND BROOKE ALDRIDGE called "I Thought I'd Seen It All". This song has been nominated for a SPBGMA Award. Darin and Brooke recorded another song entitled "Corn" which was included on the same album. RHONDA VINCENT cut a song of mine and released it as both a single and video. The song was entitled "I've Gotta Start Somewhere". It was the first time I got to see a song of mine turned into a video that was played on CMT and GAC. Rhonda and I just recently co-wrote a song together that she will be releasing on a LIVE Gospel DVD. It's called, "Promise Land,"and it will be available in 2011. Australian Country Artist KRISTY COX cut a song of mine called "It's Hard To Stop A Heart (When It Starts Breaking)" which climbed to #4 on the 'Country Tracks Top 30' Chart. The music video was released to the Country Music Channel (CMC) in Australia and spent 13 weeks as a top 30 video. COLT FORD cut and released a song called "Hip Hop In A Honky Tonk". This is his current single and has a video also on CMT and GAC! It's on Colt's new album 'Chicken & Biscuits' which debuted on Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart at #8 and has sold over 140,000 units to date. GMA Dove Award winners, JEFF & SHERI EASTER recently recorded another of my songs entitled "I Know I Love You". It is on their 'Expecting Good Things' album. This record has been nominated for a Grammy and a Dove Award. DOYLE LAWSON & QUICKSILVER also cut a song titled, "Mt.View Missionary Baptist Church," on their "Light on My Feet & Ready To Fly" album. I've also had cuts with Rounder Records recording artists BRADLEY WALKER, DAILEY & VINCENT & NEW FOUND ROAD.
While I continue to write songs, I am still pursuing a recording career and just recently formed a new band called LISA SHAFFER & HEATHEN RIDGE. It is made up of some of the best (and some of my favorite) Grammy nominated and award winning musicians. I named the band after the ridge I grew up on. It's a unique blend of contemporary country as well as bluegrass music. I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my music career that I am still currently writing!
