Under 21 with Guardian

Before Shelby Stone was playing packed honky tonks, rowdy music festivals and recording original country tunes, the Decatur native was in the same spot as many young adults: trying to figure out what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

A 2018 graduate of Victory Christian Academy, Stone originally set off for Hardin-Simmons University to compete on the cheer squad, something she said was her “whole persona” at the time. She planned to study physical therapy, but after a handful of major changes and a transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington, Stone realized that something else was in store for her.

Upon her arrival at UTA, Stone returned to her musical roots and declared a major in music business. She was always somewhat of a performer, whether it was singing songs from her sister’s iPod, or picking up a guitar her junior year of high school.

 
“I’m pretty much self-taught on everything music wise,” Stone said. “I like to say I’m a student of ‘YouTube University.’”

BRIGHT LIGHTS — Stone performs at the University of Texas at Arlington’s College Park Center. In addition to recording music, the Decatur native has performed the national anthem at a variety of events, including Professional Bull Riding competitions. COURTESY/SHARON ELLMAN
While at UTA, Stone began an internship with local country music station 95.9 The Ranch in the promotions department. She was rubbing shoulders with both the business and entertainment sides of the Texas country music scene, eventually leading to her first live performance.

In 2019, the artist accompanied a group of sales representatives and disc jockeys from the radio station on a trip to The Basement Bar in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Before she knew it, Stone was yanked up on stage giving an impromptu performance.

 
“Kind of out of nowhere, they just put me up on stage,” Stone recalled of the performance. “I sang like half of ‘Neon Moon,’ forgot the lyrics and just shouted ‘Thank you very much’ into the mic. After that, I realized I could do this for a living and it just changed everything for me.”

After that fateful day in the sparse barroom, Stone continued cutting her teeth in dive bars and barbecue joints, even participating in the small, but loyal music scene that Wise County has cultivated. She said that the days of brutal, three-hour sets of performing cover songs proved that she was meant to be in the music business.

The rising star has released two cover songs, with a Drive-By Truckers tune bringing in over 5,000 Spotify streams in just two months, and “House of the Rising Sun” garnering over 10,000 plays.

“I just got back from Arizona where I cut four songs in a studio out there, all originals,” Stone said. “The Ranch has been asking me when they’re going to drop, so hopefully within the next month I’ll have original music out. It’s really cool to be proud of something you’ve worked so hard on … Once this music comes out, everything is going to change.”

SHELBY STONE
Stone’s commitment to her craft is steadily paying off. She’s gone from performing at fraternity functions in crowded bars, to taking the stage at Mile 0 Fest in Key West. She’s also stayed true to her rodeo roots, performing the national anthem at the Professional Bull Riding Global Cup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

While Stone has slowed down her live performances over the last few months to focus on songwriting and putting out original material, she’s gearing up for a late summer run. Stone will be back on stage at House of Blues Dallas to open for Jacob Stelly Aug. 11, and she will be a featured artist at the North Texas Fair & Rodeo in Denton later that month.

Since she first took the stage, Stone said the change in her ability to capture an audience has been night and day.

“The joke is that my shows are three-fourths music, and the rest is stand-up comedy,” Stone said. “I’ve never really had stage fright, but my presence just improves each time I play, and I know how to feel out an audience better.”


https://www.theshelbystone.com/