SHANE COOLEY
entirety,” wrote Javier Rodriquez of Right Chord Music. Following Forest, Cooley released his summer single, "Stella Ray," described by Alejandra Ramirez of Austin Chronicle as "a pure fun, off-kilter folk-pop miniature." Almost every song from Cooley's 2022 releases have received radio airplay in the U.S. and internationally.
Cooley’s songs have found their way to the airwaves of television shows such as NBC’s “The Mysteries of Laura,” and IBC’s “The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman.” He also composed the music for the Amazon Book Trailer for bestselling author Lori Foster’s Tough Love. The CW television show Songwriters Across Texas recently aired a documentary episode and podcast about Cooley’s life as a singer/songwriter. In 2023, his collaboration with Italian artist Ushuaia & the Wanderlust Orchestra released in Target and Amoeba stores. Cooley's tips column on "The Power of a Silly Song" was recently published internationally in Songwriting Magazine.
BIOGRAPHY
Cooley, age 36, has been writing, recording and performing music for over 20 years. The son of a high school principal and an art teacher/wildlife magazine writer, Cooley grew up in rural Virginia. After raising money for the 9/11 Red Cross Relief Fund with a self-penned song at age 14, he found a purpose and identity as a musician. He has been releasing music ever since. He spent the greater part of a decade in the music hub of Austin, TX, where he still often hangs his hat. In the wake of the pandemic, Shane returned to his hometown of Mollusk, VA where he re-invented his art by producing his own music. Collaborating with Grammy-winning mastering engineer Fred Kevorkian, Cooley's abundant well of songs are now matched by his ability to record them.
After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature at The College of William & Mary, Cooley hit the road, touring both the United States and Europe. His 2015 release, Kings Highway, was deemed “an absolute triumph” (The Daily Press), earning his reputation as a skilled and prolific songwriter. Along his travels, he has shared the stage with Grammy-nominated artists Wood & Wire, along with Adia Victoria, Shakey Graves, Wild Child, The Deer and more. “I’ve worked in radio since 1963, and over the years I have learned how to recognize talent. There was something in (Shane's) sound that made me want to listen,” wrote the late KUTX Austin radio legend John Aeilli.
When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world in 2020, Cooley leaked his acoustic anthology, 50 Songs to boost the spirits of his fans, along with performing weekly live stream concerts on his Facebook page. The live streams continue to occur on most Wednesdays at 8pm EST.
Shane Cooley kicked off 2023 performing at The Sandler Center for Performing Arts in Virginia for the Out of the Box Series (presented by WHRV Virginia NPR), with plans to tour the US and Europe in the works. When he isn't touring behind his releases on the road, he is churning out new songs at his home studio, Cooleyland.
-"With a naïve charm that can only be achieved by an accomplished arranger (think Brian Wilson), ‘Stella Ray’ is a chance for Shane Cooley to show off his breezy side. Injected with the sounds of 60s pop, it’s a serious summer jam."
- Duncan Haskell, editor of Songwriting Magazine (U.K.)
Shane Cooley’s nuanced lyrics stand at the forefront of his hauntingly minimalist alternative music. In 2022, Cooley released 18 songs - his seminal LP, Forest, The Circus Rolls On EP and several singles. Deemed “exquisite” by Songwriting Magazine editor Duncan Haskell (U.K.), Forest announced Cooley's post-pandemic return as a self-produced artist.(Forest) stands out for its peculiar production and lyrical beauty, which is highly remarkable considering that Cooley himself played all the instruments and produced this work in its