Life & Work with Shannon Wilk

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Wilk.

Hi Shannon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Shannon Wilk, a music industry creative. I began working in music at a young age, only 12 years old. I had just started playing guitar then, and I knew I wanted to be a touring musician one day. While I wasn’t yet good enough to get work as a musician, I knew networking was a crucial part of the business.

With that in mind, I took it upon myself to start my publication where I would connect with musicians through interviews – forging connections that would be mutually beneficial when I was a good enough musician to gig and get work as an artist. I still interview artists to this day, continuing to form connections that way. Now, nearly six years later, I’m starting to see those relationships I formed at that age come to help out my music career – opening for bands I’ve interviewed, promoting each other’s projects, getting each other gigs, etc. A few months after interviewing bands, I started doing concert photography.

Concert photography has led me to get opportunities I never could’ve even dreamed of, for example, photographing KISS at just 15 years old – a total “pinch me” moment. I’m here now, approaching 18 years old, playing 50+ gigs a year as a hired gun bassist and performing and recording with my band. I have graduated high school and am currently pursuing music full-time.

I’m excited to share publicly for the first time that I am moving to Nashville in just a few months. After performing five shows in the amazing city in February, I was reassured that it is where I need to be to continue growing as an artist.

We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Going through my formative teen years in the music industry, especially being a young woman, has been extremely challenging in more ways than one. I’ve had people not want to hire me because I’m a woman, constant harassment both online and in person, and just generally not being respected. With how long women have been killing it in the business, it’s wild that these things are still happening and pretty normalized.

With that said the vast majority of people have been extremely kind and supportive of me, especially fellow musicians and industry folks. Another thing that a lot of artists deal with is imposter syndrome, which is feeling like you’re not worthy or deserving of the accomplishments you have. I’ve dealt with that on a grand scale, especially being so young. It has not been easy by any stretch, but I’m still here and continuing to work on myself and grow.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a bassist, first and foremost. I specialize in rock music, but I’ve played many different genres. I’m also a concert photographer and music journalist for several publications covering all your favorite rock, metal, and indie acts. In a general sense, I’m most proud of my personal growth from when I started in the industry to the present day.

But to pinpoint a specific experience, I’d say performing at the Theater on the Monsters of Rock Cruise was the most proud moment of my career thus far. Back in 2018, when I was just 11 years old, the Monsters of Rock Cruise was my first time seeing a concert, and it’s what really got me heavily into rock music.

I’ve been attending the event every year since, and in 2023, at 16 years old, I was invited to perform at the Rare Hare jam on the ship. It really could not get more full circle than that for me. I walked onto that stage, plugged into the amp that Megadeth’s David Ellefson had just played through the song before, and performed like my life depended on it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I do think luck is a big part of the music industry. Most of the time, getting a gig or not getting a gig is truly just the right place, right time situation.

Luckily, I tend to be in the right place at the right time. I’ve had so many moments where a certain opportunity comes at such wildly perfect timing. I’ve also had a handful of opportunities come at really poor timing, which is a bummer, but it happens.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shannonwilk.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonwilkmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonwilkmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shannonwilkmusic

Image Credits
Boston Schulz, Jody Wilk, and Will Greenberg (Will To Rock)