Life & Work with JD Shelburne

Today we’d like to introduce you to JD Shelburne.

Hi JD, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a small town called Taylorsville, KY – a tiny town east of Louisville. I spent my entire childhood playing sports and living the All-American dream. I come from a large Christian family in my hometown: Dad was the school principal, Mom stayed home with us and I also have a younger brother Tommy. We spent most of the time on the family farm, in church, or at the ballfield. I played baseball and basketball most of my entire life and even through my high school career and that is what days and nights consisted of early on during my younger years. I graduated high school in 2001 and moved away to college in Lexington, KY to further my education.

After my first year of college, my grandmother passed and I came home to attend her funeral and be with family. While in town that weekend, I came across an Epiphone acoustic guitar in her house that I never really knew existed.

I ended up taking the guitar back to college and it quickly became a hobby in between classes. The more and more I began to play that guitar, the more my interest grew in learning new songs, teaching myself to play and sing was just natural. I spent several months on campus playing around the house and literally any chance I could get. That was 2002 and the moment my career took a new path and that is where my story begins.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve performed over 2900 concerts since 2022. It’s been a very rewarding journey but not as many struggles as most have endured. I started in 2002 never even expecting a gig. I had no idea what that even meant. I was a young kid in college, who just discovered an acoustic guitar and literally got the most enjoyment of just playing around the house for friends. I never expected anything more than that honestly when I started. Once I realized you could actually gig around town and make money performing, my vision became stronger and I was soon destined to see where this could go. I realized fast that I had a God-given talent. I was writing songs, learning songs on the radio, and slowly getting interested in being asked to play in certain places. I was pumped!!!

The hardest part early on was just getting your name out, trying to find places to play, and keeping it steady. As time grew longer and the months went by, my popularity grew stronger, my voice and guitar playing improved and my love for just entertaining people were rapidly changing. By 2005, I was playing gigs in nearby towns such as Louisville, Bardstown, Taylorsville, and more. By the time, we were making some money playing shows and it was honestly the easiest money I had ever made, we were filling every single seat in local clubs and my fan base was growing each week. It was a great feeling. I had no idea what was on the horizon but I knew it was something I wanted to keep chasing.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Country Music Artist/Singer-Songwriter:

Since finding the guitar in 2002 and eventually moving to Nashville in 2008, music has been so rewarding. I am proud of the amount of success I have been able to achieve on my own.

I’ve celebrated 5 album releases, a Top Ten Album in 2021, 6 straight videos on CMT, over millions of video views, opened for 60 National Acts including ZZ Top, #1 video on the CMT 12-Pack Countdown, and headlined over 100 festivals, countless features including being on the cover of the 2020 Kentucky Tourism Guide, 2016 University of Kentucky College Alumni of the Year, Texas Roadhouse Artist of the Month, an Official Kentucky Colonel, voted the #1 Musician from Kentucky in 2021, currently featured in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and many more. I am closing in on performing 3,000 concerts since 2005. My career has been such a rewarding journey and I really feel we are just getting started.

Well-known entertainers in the business have labeled me “the hardest working man in showbiz” and I always take that with a compliment. I constantly hustle and am always in search of my next opportunity.

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I took a risk in 2007 when I left home in Taylorsville, KY to move to Nashville. I knew if I wanted to take my career to the next level I had to move. I am so glad I did – it’s changed my life and my family’s life. My career changed significantly when I moved here.

I knew one person in Nashville at the time (in the business) and that person would never return a call or even meet for dinner. I knew my success was only riding on how hard I wanted to work. I had to earn it all on my own and I did.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jdshelburne.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/JDSHELBURNE
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/JDSHELBURNE
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/JDSHELBURNE
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_8vqkBDp5oyWtwRQ3Y-Kgg