Shelly Streeter Bio Shelly Streeter Bio
"I think things are a lot different for me because I did put my career ambitions on hold, to get married and raise my children, before I decided to follow my dream of being an entertainer. The fact that I started my career later in my life has proven to be beneficial to me in many ways. As I lived my life and matured as a wife, mother, friend, lover, person; I realized that my life experiences added depth to my music and it was easier for me to write solid lyrics because the more you live, the more you have to give." Shelly Streeter
For every little girl who grows up following the dream of becoming a singer, there are a dozen more who abandon that dream, following the more traditional calling of hearth and home. Shelly Streeter is living proof that you can be a success at both.
Streeter has garnered national acclaim and a multitude of awards during her career. The California Country Music Association honored her with its Female Vocalist of the Year, Female Entertainer of the Year and Vocal Band of the Year trophies; and the Country Music Association of America proclaimed her both Female Vocalist and Female Entertainer of the Year. Her self-titled album clearly demonstrated what all the excitement was about. Shelly Streeter is a collection that looks at love in all its inspiring and infuriating complexities - from the bittersweet infatuations of youth to the angelic adoration of a slain child for its mother. But whatever the story-line, Streeter's enduring message is that love is always worth the risk. Her radiant, bell-clear vocals range effortlessly across the spectrum from country rock to western swing. And her perspective is that of a strong woman who knows her own mind.
Growing up in Modesto, California, where she still lives with her husband and three sons, Streeter developed her passion for country music in the usual ways, listening to the radio and singing at school, church, and family gatherings. But she did not consider making music her life's work until after her youngest son reached his teens. It was then that Streeter formed her own band and began writing and performing her own songs. She quickly acquired a large regional following in her home state of California where she regularly opens for top country artists at the beautiful Konocti Harbor Inn at Clear Lake. Dwight Yoakam, Pam Tillis, Earl Thomas Conley, Waylon Jennings, Vince Gill, Tim McGraw, George Jones, Sammy Kershaw, Clint Black and Merle Haggard are just a few of the major artists she has shared billing with.
Streeter's first project as a solo recording artist was a far cry from the generally upbeat country music she performs today. "A lady had given her daughter up for adoption," Streeter explains, "and had written a series of songs about it, basically as therapy. When she decided to do a CD of the music she called me in to do the singing. That was great ground work for me." The album was called Torn From The Heart, and it gave Streeter top billing.
Motivated by her debut recording experience, and with the support and encouragement of her husband and sons, Streeter recorded the album Call Me A Wildfire on her own StreeterBilt Records label. That same year, the Denver Post wrote, "Streeter writes and sings with the clarity that once was the hallmark of country music - and still is of great country music. Her debut album contains ten songs, and that's all she needs to touch the full range of human emotions. The sparkling joy of "Go Down Swingin'" contrasts with the sobering sadness of "Oh Mamacita," a song inspired by a young victim of a drive-by shooting. Each of the ten songs is a standout, making this a 'must have' album."
Streeter kicked off the debut of her self-titled album, one of the first Enhanced cds, by participating in a whirlwind waltz across Texas which had her appearing in twenty-four Wal-Marts in as many days. Having written nine of the ten songs on the album, she had a vested interest in this project and was determined to make it a success. The first video released from the album, "White Lace Promises," quickly became a CMT delivery room "hot pick" but just as radio began to embrace her, the label went bankrupt. Her devastation turned to frustration when she was informed that the corporation would destroy the existing cds and retain ownership of the material. Not one to give up, or back down, Streeter challenged a team of corporate legal beagles to recover her creative property. Her actions saved the cds from destruction and reaffirmed her ownership of the material.
Without taking a break, she began work on her next project. While touring, both in the US and abroad, she collected new material from other songwriters and continued to write on her own. The pace demanded by the music industry appears to suit her ambition. She has now finished her third album, aptly titled Tell Me Something I Don't Know.
"I've waited a long time for this and now everything's in place," Streeter says. "I've got a wonderful team of family, friends, and professionals behind me, and an album I'm extremely proud of. I'm ready to go!"