music

Shawn Wilder

Westfield native Shawn Wilder is going places. First stop: Nashville. 

For the 23-year-old singer, songwriter and Chautauqua Lake Idol winner, 2010 is a year of opportunity and new beginnings starting with the release of his aptly-named solo debut CD The Beginning on January 2nd.  

The CD release is a culmination of an amazing year for Wilder and a pivotal step in his musical career. “Putting out a solo album is something I’ve always wanted to do,” says Wilder. “It’s taken a long time to get the songs together and a lot of amazing people have helped to make it happen.”

For someone with his depth of talent and limitless potential, Wilder is a decidedly humble young man. He has a real appreciation for his local fans and a firm grasp of his roots. “The good part about growing up in a small town is that you know where you come from and people are genuinely happy for you. I’ve got the greatest fans here and that means everything to me,” says Wilder. “The bad part is that you can’t make it big here as a musician. There aren’t any major record labels.”

So January 9th Wilder heads to Nashville, where he will be networking, making connections, performing at open mic nights and generally getting known. “You just have to be down there to do it,” says Wilder, who hopes to meet up with other musicians and perhaps form a band. He will be splitting his time between Nashville and Westfield for most of the coming year. “So much of my fan base in up here - I don’t want to lose that,” he says.

As 2009 Chautauqua Lake Idol, Wilder’s profile locally has grown significantly. “That was definitely the start,” says Wilder of his Idol win. “I mean, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but Chautauqua Idol allowed me to meet some amazing people who have really helped me out and get started.”

As for Wilder’s own idols, they include Brad Paisley and Aaron Tippin. “I’ve seen the way Aaron respects his fans and that’s exactly what I want to do. After a show, he’s out there signing autographs until the last person leaves.” Also like Paisley and Tippin, once he makes it big Wilder wants to give back to the community. “That’s a big part of it,” he says.

“I’d love to hear my fans singing my originals at a concert – that must be awesome.” He prefers to write ballads, but doesn’t write on demand. “Something has to happen and it has to hit me really hard. I can’t just sit down and write when I don’t feel it.” A perfect example of his ability to channel real emotion into song is his heart-wrenching original ballad “Hailey Grace”, written for friends coping with loss.

A Release Party for The Beginning will be held in the Arena Club at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena on Saturday, January 2nd. There are two shows, 8 pm and 10 pm. Tickets are $10 ($7 for students) and are available at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena or by calling (716) 581-1766.    

A Send-Off Party will be held Friday, January 8th at Chautauqua Suites in Mayville at 7 pm. Check out Shawn’s profile at www.myspace.com/swwilder.

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