Their debut CD from 2000 is no longer in print.
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for sound bites in MP3 format) |
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for sound bites in MP3 format) |
EVERY song on the CD received airplay, some songs charted Internationally
(The Ballad Of Desiree / No Other Love / Lotta Lovin')
(Airplay in: USA, Canada, Norway, Australia, England, Spain, Belgium, Ukraine, Germany, Uruguay & Holland)
"...impressive musicians - extra special vocal talents,
evident to all but the seriously hearing impaired
and my prediction is that as long as their enthusiasm doesn’t vanish,
we will be seeing this group on TV and in magazines in the not too distant future"
Jack Philpot - Northland Journal - Ft. St. John, BC Canada
Although The Shackshakers--Shawn Nagy (vocals, guitars, piano), Darlene Marie (vocals, percussion),
and John Perrin (drums, percussion)--are tremendously talented on their own to make meaningful music,
they've recruited a few famous friends to play on their new self-titled album.
To begin with, there's Billy Cowsill from the wonderful sixties band, The Cowsills,
singing lead on "When Will This Heartache End"
(a ravishing country ballad that's goose-pimple material all the way),
and on "Lotta Lovin'" we're treated to the tasty harmonies of The Roses,
who worked with Buddy Holly and The Crickets. But these tunes are only a glimpse of what awaits you on
"The Shackshakers" because the whole disc is a killer-diller exhibition of roots-rock radiance.
You know the score: screaming saxophones, twangy guitars, boogie woogie choruses, and soulful Hammond organ thrills.
"You Drive Me Insane," "Hit The Brakes," "(She's My) Rockabilly Baby,"
"Hurricane" and a sassy cover of Ronnie Self's "Sweet Nothins" effectively demonstrate how
well-versed The Shackshakers are in early rock and roll sounds.
They've clearly spent a huge chunk of their waking hours studying records
by artists such as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.
Here's a band that has the feel, touch and emotions to get it right.
Be it raunchy rave-ups or glistening pop pieces, "The Shackshakers"
features something for everyone.
Good music is ageless, and here's an album that will be relevant for years to come!
The Lance Monthly - Sandia Park, NM - July 2003
Review by Beverly Paterson
"...some really good stuff!! I'm proud for you and the Shackshakers!!
Don't even have any idea what I like best....all of it I guess !!"
George Tomsco, The Fireballs
"..one of the best roots rock bands I've heard in a long time"
-L. Kent Wolgamott
Lincoln Journal Star - Lincoln, NE
"...these guys - or rather two guys & two gals - are smoooooth.
Perfectly blending harmonies, tight snappy rhythms, syrupy vocals,
faithful imitations of Elvis (with all his rough edges polished out). All flawlessly executed.
No amount of corporate reprocessing could spit-polish these nice kids anymore
than they’ve done themselves. Not a hair or a note out of place".
"Northland Reader" - Duluth, MN - Sept.28'00
Review by Richard Thomas
"...we get tons of requests for Shackshakers music - they especially love "The Ballad Of Desiree"
Leanne Doty - Music Director, CKLQ, Brandon, MB Canada
"We in Norway like your band very much. Your music is very tight, has good rhythm, and the vocals are perfect.
I have played all songs on the radio and my listeners call me and want to hear
"No Other Love" again and again. They have put this song to their heart.
They also like "They Don't Know" & "Hit The Brakes"
very much and others. I have some Norwegian people that want to say
"THANKS SHACKSHAKERS FOR GOOD MUSIC!"
Jan Vidar Magnussen - Norway Broadcasting Radio Follo
"I received your CD a couple of weeks ago and I loved it from beginning to end!
There's great musicianship, vocals and production, plus a fantastic song selection - great covers and cool originals.
Your rocking songs really sound countrified so they all fit perfectly well on my show;
I am currently playing "Morse Code of Love" on high rotation and I will be playing "Ballad of Desiree",
"Hey Doll Baby", " Hit The Brakes" and the classics "Lotta Lovin'" and "Sweet Nothin's"
throughout the rest of the year. You have a high energy album here that shows that you really love and enjoy
what you're doing; you really have a winner here and you deserve a large following with your music.
Once again, thanks for your time and effort and keep rocking the country!"
Raśl J. Tejeiro - Top Country Hits (CMA) - Uruguay
"I don't know how Shawn has put such great lyrics together and managed to grab the feel
of the times when I was growing up. Even compared to the well-over 150 songs I've written,
I still feel that I haven't managed to do this as completely as he has in these few recordings.
Shawn has been blessed with something great that needs to be sung, and this CD really
captures the spirit of the 50s & 60s music we were performing."
Terry Stiles - guitarist with Satan & The D-Men (Canadian 60s group)
"Very well produced, with a good clean sound"
Raucous Records - England
"I have been playing your CD on my show,
and I only have one word to describe The Shackshakers - FUN!
You guys & gals are so overwhelmingly (if that's a word) fun"
Bad Broose - CKUW 95.9 fm - Winnipeg, MB Canada
"I first heard of this group just after putting out a CD with the same basic band name,
but with my own name in front of it. Leader Shawn Nagy wrote to inform me that he’s been using
this name for quite some time up around Duluth, MN and across Canada.
I wrote back to let him know there was also a group out of Nashville using the name
“Those Legendary Shack Shakers” and to suggest sometime we get all 3 bands onstage in tribute
to the time Sonny Burgess and “The Pacers” did a show with Jerry Lee Merritt & “His Pacers” back in the ‘50s.
Anyhow, these Shackshakers are basically an oldies style band,
with the difference that they have quite a bit of original material.
They’re doing retro style music, but they’re NOT going the whole 9 yards
into greasy pompadours, tattoos & upright bass.
Shawn is a very good electric bass player though.
Musically, the group proved their allegiance to West Texas style rock & roll by moving from
Duluth, MN to Lubbock, Texas as well as getting their picture taken in front of a
‘58 Chevy that belonged to Buddy Holly. But there are also Holly influences in their music, most notably the song
co-written by Billy Cowsill (remember The Cowsills?), on which he also sings.
“When Will This Heartache Ends” really reminds me of the early Buddy & Bob sound, pre-Crickets,
and is worth the whole price of admission by itself.
Steve Bloomfield of England’s “Matchbox” also contributes & plays on his tune “Hurricane”,
and “The Roses” which did backups on Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox hits as well as Roy Orbison’s
Sun sessions provide great backups on “Lotta Lovin’”.
The familiar is provided by “Sweet Nothins”, Titus Turner’s “Hey Doll Baby”
and The Capris “Morse Code Of Love”.
A slight Mavericks sound on the original composition “No Other Love”
gives me the notion that they might harbor hopes of making it in the country music scene.
The group features both male (Shawn) and female vocals, the latter by Darlene Marie.
Of the several good original compositions, my favorite is “Hit The Brakes”.
The usual 3 piece is joined by sax, Hammond organ, a brass section and Nagy is also a fine piano player.
So for those of you keeping track on score-cards, this group has a one word name,
and not to be confused with “Those Legendary Shack Shakers” out of Nashville
or “Marc Bristol & The Shack Shakers”.
"Blue Suede News" #52 Fall 2000
Review by Marc Bristol
"This is one fantastic party-juiced CD! I have to acknowledge that I had not previously heard about you guys, and that I had originally purchased the CD on the strength Billy Cowsill's duet on "When Will This Heartache End". But wow! This is a great CD! From the Duane Eddy-ish twangin', to the Sam Butera-like saxin', right up through the last song with J.J. Jackson funk-soulin'. I love it!!!"
Jeffrey Y. - Syracuse, NY
