It was the divorce of his parents and the death of his mom that brought Greg to settle in Alabama with his dad. At the age of 17, Greg picked up his first guitar and quickly discovered he had a natural talent for playing and singing. He became a front man for many area bands in and around the Birmingham area and was soon performing at college parties and local events, as well as area clubs.
By the early '90s, Greg had married and started a family. He soon made the decision to take his music to a more professional level and moved his family to Nashville. Greg was very busy laying brick by day and carving out a spot in the Music City club scene by night. During this time, his talents as a songwriter emerged and he also worked as a studio demo singer and musician. He was able to learn firsthand the struggles - as well as the success - of a true musician. After just two years, things were progressing very well for his career, but it was also very fast- paced and time consuming. Eventually, Greg had to make a tough decision. In addition to having a full time day job as a brick mason, as well as his recording projects, he was also doing nightly shows on the weekends. However, he knew that his passion for music would have to take a back seat to his growing family. In addition, Greg's dad was unexpectedly diagnosed with a terminal illness, so Greg decided to move his family back to Alabama, settling in the Tuscaloosa area. He is currently the owner and president of a commercial masonry company. Along with his wife of 20 years, they have raised five children. During that time, Greg's passion and talent for writing and performing music continued to grow and his dream of one day recording his music flourished.
Once he relocated back to Alabama, Greg once again followed in his dad's footsteps and began singing with a southern gospel group. Adding to his musical versatility, Greg soon began playing bluegrass and contemporary Christian music as well. As a musician and performer, he learned to entertain audiences of all ages.
Now, Greg Shirley has recorded an album of his own original songs and plans to release the CD in early 2015 on Garage Door Records. He is currently performing at live venues in and around the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa area. His upcoming tour schedule also includes performances at various state-wide festivals, and other events. He also enjoys playing private occasions, as well as promotional, corporate and community events.
Greg laughs when he talks about the title track of his new album, Raised on the Run. "My son Dallas had heard so many stories from me and my family about our childhood and he said, 'Dad, you should write a song titled "Raised on the Run.'"
So he did. A rambling reminiscence of a life lived on the road, the song set the tone for what would become his debut album. And in many ways, Raised on the Run brings Greg full circle.
Years after he left Nashville to raise his family and start a business, Greg found himself back in Music City studios. He'd tried his luck here two decades earlier, but this time, Greg was singing for himself. "It was like seeing a close friend I hadn't seen in years," he says. "I was really excited, but I still felt comfortable being there."
Supporting Greg on his debut is a virtual "who's-who" of Nashville players. Jim Moose Brown, a veteran multi-instrumentalist who has lent his talents to recordings from Waylon Jennings, Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, and Bob Seger, plays keys. Drummer Eddie Bayers has earned the prestigious Academy of Country Music Drummer of the Year award for eight years straight. Bassist Kevin "Swine" Grantt's resume includes work for Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Colt Ford, and Willie Nelson.
Engineer T.W. Cargile recorded Greg's vocals at Jamey Johnson's Big Assed Studio in Nashville. The co-producer of Johnson's Grammy-nominated "In Color," Cargile's track record with Alabama-based songwriters is undisputed.
In addition to Greg's own compositions, the album includes contributions from some of Nashville's most celebrated songwriters, notably Bernie Nelson and Chris Wallin. Kenny Chesney, Chris LeDoux, and Randy Travis have all taken Nelson's songs to the top of the charts, and the smash, "Daddy Never Was the Cadillac Kind," earned him Million Airplay status in 2002. Wallin has enjoyed his share of chart success as well: his recent "Something to Be Proud Of" kept Montgomery Gentry at number one for weeks. His songs have appeared on albums by everyone from Trace Adkins to Confederate Railroad and Diamond Rio. Greg's first single and video off the new CD is "Hillbilly Girl."
Though he's made a name for himself among Nashville's elite, Greg Shirley is happy to call Alabama his home. Performing to fans throughout his adopted home state, he has built a loyal following that recognizes him as one of their own. Pretty impressive roots for someone "raised on the run."