We were lucky to catch up with Shane Russell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shane, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?
Straight out of high school, I started working a job that began at 4:30 am, five days a week…and most holidays (to some extent). Needing a car, and the normal bills we all acquire for survival, I talked myself out of college and settled for a part-time band. I usually got my eight hours in by 12:30 so I would have time to travel to gigs etc. so I stayed in that comfort zone….for three weeks shy of 20 years! I would either be bound by failing relationships, bills, or my own bondage, so I wouldn’t change my life to do what I wanted…to pursue music as a career.
In my 17th year of that job, I couldn’t take any more of that hopelessness I felt every day. I have to say, I remember it like it was yesterday. I had an epiphany at 2:30 pm on October 12th, 2010. I had managed to start business college a few years prior, so there was light at the end of the tunnel, but it wasn’t enough. I knew on that day that I had a choice to make to either continue with one foot in music, and the other in the job to survive….or to plan my exit into music full-time.
I decided to give myself one year to pay off anything I had to, sell the house my ex and I built, and move to Nashville. I still wanted to continue college, but really work towards music for the first time. I had already played in many bands, on thousands of stages, but never on a bigger basis than a club or festival, plus the occasional large festival. I needed something else. To wake up and not have a job to go back to after the show.
I had been under debt and obligation so long, I didn’t know what freedom was. I couldn’t afford to have a car and house payment together, along with everything else life throws at you, so leaving it was a risk I wanted to take. Depression had been a factor, to the point of suicide on many occasions, and it was….it was just time. One year later, I gave my notice at the job, got a divorce, sold the house, and after much prayer, the first lady that looked at it bought it. My ex and I made a $40,000 profit on it and we split it. I paid off anything left, loaded up my van and a band trailer and moved to Nashville!
The next ten years was a blur of the most amazing times in my life. I played on stages all over the country, on cruise ships, and visited 27 countries ( a couple of which I lived in for a brief time). I had romances with women from Italy, Scotland, South Africa, Europe, Mexico, and the Philippines. I got to play on Broadway, Las Vegas, New York, and everywhere in between. I now front 2 incredible tribute bands to Rascal Flatts and Journey. I’ve had the honor to perform in tributes in Denver, CO to Columbus, OH, and now in Nashville. I wrote an album, performed it on the radio for millions of people, and charted a single in the Billboard Top 100.
I feel honored to have done these things, and in no way am I bragging, but wanted to let anyone reading this, that you too, can accomplish your dreams. Don’t let bondage of debt and indecision keep your confidence down to a point you talk yourself out of more than you try. That lesson cost me 20 years of my life, following the rules that were the norm.
Shane, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
With music, I felt that I was made for it. That is, it was natural to me. As I grew older, I realized there is a shelf-life for a vocalist who sings in bands like Journey, ToTo, Foreigner, and now Rascal Flatts. I had to put that into perspective and I also wanted a challenge. To do something more than just that.
As I finished my Bachelor’s degree, I wanted to keep going. So I attained my MBA in Finance after that. And then, I felt I should go on so now I am attaining my Doctorate in Management. I guess it is honest to say, I wanted to feel accomplished as I could. I had attended a private school for twelve years and was one of the poor kids. It was hard and I always felt bad that I couldn’t afford college like my classmates. To be in the top 2% of educated America was no easy task either.
The tribute Flascal Ratts: our Rascal Flatts Experience is nothing short of spectacular. Our musicians and I put forth such a great effort to be the best at what we do. We have major musicians from Phoenix, AZ to Mississippi, to Nashville, TN. We look forward to a great 2023 and beyond.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
From both a musical and business perspective, one thing rings true…emotional intelligence. In music, I’ve put together, managed, and had to fire people. In business, college included, there is a mental wall that has to be professional and emotional intelligence is the key to any successful business. The book, by Daniel Goleman, was recommended to us business students, in my Master’s program. The greatest lesson I learned in that degree program, was the philosophy of emotional intelligence.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I first moved to Nashville, I was playing drums for a female rock artist there that performed at bike rallies across the country. It was my entry, but it didn’t work out. After five months, she went with someone else, and I felt devastated and relieved all at once. I had learned hundreds of songs over a short amount of time, with no rehearsals. I jumped in, learned a lot, and then found myself at square one in a new state, the music city, and not much money left in the bank.
I knew what it took to get me here, so I was prepared to keep going, even though that chapter ended. I looked around, met people, played small, petty gigs, and soon enough, found an ad for a country artist needing a drummer on cruise ships. He scheduled the auditions 4 hours from Nashville, on purpose. He knew that whoever tried out would have to really want the gig to drive that far just for an audition. I did it. I got the gig, and it changed my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oneslkpkle.wixsite.com/flascalratts
- Instagram: @flascalrattsofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flascalrattsofficial
Image Credits
Jillian Herring Jennifer Alexander