Adam Shenk

I have often remarked I have come across music in many ways, from liking the cover photograph when buying, to hearing someone open for another artist I love. I first ordered Christopher Dallman's 'Race The Light' on a whim, not hearing a single track before it arriving in the mail. And I have often blamed Eric Himan for my excessive music bills, having exposed me to acts like Aiden James, Tom Goss, Levi Kreis, Andy Moore, Coyote Grace, both Jimmy Adams and Angel Adams, and so many others that now fill my iTunes. Just like listening to J.D. Doyle's monthly OutRadio podcasts, and his Queer Music Heritage posts have tipped me off to several other artists. Recently, I added a new resource when I was spending a bit of time with Tom Goss, and he handed me several CDs, telling me they were people I should be listen to. Well, when a fellow-musician makes a recommendation, I tend to take notice. One of those discs was 'Suitcases', featuring the music of Adam Shenk. Knowing nothing about him, I put in the CD and hit play, and now I understand why Tom gave me the CD. While I might be about three years behind the curve on this one, I must admit I instantly liked Shenk's music, and think many of you might like it as well.



'Suitcases' is an 11-track offering, but there are three additional "bonus tracks", so let's go with fourteen tracks. The songs were written by Shenk and Ayhan Sahin, and Sahin aslo produced and mixed the album. The music is R&B based, with a splash of Pop through in to sweeten the mix. There is an inherent sexiness to the music, the rhythms tending toward slow and grinding, with heartfelt ballads and some mid-tempo stuff that makes me dance the minute it comes on. I am am going to offer up my current three favorite songs on the CD, and let you figure out why you should be adding Adam Shenk to your music collection. I will begin with the title cut off the album, "Suitcases". It is the one song I found with a music video, and I can understand why. This mid-tempo number is bright and cheery, despite the subject matter. The singer struggles with following his heart by staying put with his lover, or needed to move on to take the next step on his journey. I love "Suitcases", and hope you do, too!



Now, while I think "Suitcases" give me an idea just how amazing Shenk's vocals can be, the first track on the album, "Seed", made me sit up and take notice. The song also features Jennifer Hirsh, and the two give amazing performances on the chorus. This allows Adam great freedom to sing from the heart, and soar when he needs to. The song is another one filled with hope and joy, with such a positive look to the future. Enjoy "Seed" featuring Jennifer Hirsh.



See, the final 30 seconds of that song are just amazing, aren't they? Finally, I really love "Saturday". The song features The Rhode Island-based Hip-Hop group Heightz who lay down a tight rap on the track. In the middle of the song, I hear the hat-tip to Buffalo Springfield's classic "For What It's Worth", repeating one of the great lines from Stephen Stills' lyric. I just really loved this song right away, and can listen to it all the time. I hope you enjoy "Saturday" featuring Heightz as much as I do.



The album is really filled with nuggets like these. I really enjoy, and can't thank Tom enough for sharing it. You can find 'Suitcases' on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. To learn more about Adam Shenk, visit his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook.
- "Soundtrack to my Day" blog

*spoiler alert* I’m going to bombard you with Adam Shenk music right now… just deal with it. Trust me. It’ll be okay… it’s great music.
And I’m going to need you to pretend it’s from the actual show I saw. I forgot my camera… and that doesn’t shock any of you.
____________________________________________________________________________
(I bet you $20 he got that shirt at American Apparel)
You all know my obsession withe J Biebs’ swag…. well Adam Shenk can give him a run for his money. All I kept saying last night was, “he has so much swag… it’s ridiculous. I’ll never be this cool… I love him”. I think Claire Bear cried at one point, Alex danced like she’s never danced before, the straightest boy in the world fell in some serious bromance love, and I sat in awe.
Adam Shenk played at The Bitter End in NYC last night and this was my first Adam Shenk Swag Master experience. And it was great. It was a swag master class as far as I’m concerned, and it was scored by some awesome pop music.
This guy is so super talented… I felt as if I was watching an old school Justin Timberlake bang out some sweet pop/R&B tunes.

Now… again, since I’m a moron and recorded nothing of this, I’m going to post old-ish videos… but you get the idea.
“Suitcases”… this is my jam.

“90's Medley” <3

“Black & Gold” & “Fugee-La” (There is a stand up bass involved and you guys know what stand up basses do for me. Amirite?? *high-five*<– that’s my shout out to Casey Abrams. Heart.)

“Warning Shot”… this song was awesome live last night. Trust me.

And unfortunately, I do not have video of “My Freakin’ Heart”, but this was my favorite. Last night was the first time I met Adam… but I’m pretty sure he knows my heart and soul and wrote this song for me. Is that too much for me to assume?? I think not.
I only feel that way about Taylor Swift songs, so you know this is legit.

I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this show. He is so talented, has so much charisma and is very nice and extremely grateful throughout the show and after.
You should all go to Adamshenk.com and listen to music, watch some videos, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and all that jazz.
Oh, and by the way, I’m pretty sure he likes Titanic.

Why else would you take a picture by a massive ship?? There is no other reason. Me and him should probably be close friends by next week.
And for any of you who care… I did not lose my phone, I stayed up really late, and woke up with great contentment/regret. Good f**kin times.
-Rocco - Rocco's Pop Revolution (BLOG)

Adam Shenk is not only a rising singer/songwriter, but also a talented entertainer who always comes across as having the time of his life (i.e. FUN) when performing... - The Seany D Encounter

Imagine a stage 12 feet across, perhaps 8 feet deep, packed with five musicians, three dancers, a rapper—and, uh, a tap dancer. Fortunately, there was still room for preeminent presence, singer/songwriter and preeminent entertainer Adam Shenk, performing Friday night to a packed house at New York's Duplex in the West Village.

I last saw Adam perform at The Bitter End in May, and he has evolved from spectacular to stupendous (get it: "t" comes after "p"), commanding the audience with loose, casual patter, alongside a tight playlist that displays his acumen at the piano, as a blue-eyed soul vocalist (with moves), and convincing showman at the mic.

In addition to songs from his 2010 disc "Suitcases"—produced at 2C Studios in Brooklyn by Ayhan Sahin, with liner notes (and his web bio) written by meese—Shenk premiered several new compositions, hopefully destined for a follow-up project. In all, he appeared at total ease delivering an electrifying evening with an enthused fan base that is in for the long term with this uber-talented showman. Neil Patrick Harris, watch your back, baby. - The Smoking Nun: Chuck Taylor's Live Review

Imagine a stage 12 feet across, perhaps 8 feet deep, packed with five musicians, three dancers, a rapper—and, uh, a tap dancer. Fortunately, there was still room for preeminent presence, singer/songwriter and preeminent entertainer Adam Shenk, performing Friday night to a packed house at New York's Duplex in the West Village.

I last saw Adam perform at The Bitter End in May, and he has evolved from spectacular to stupendous (get it: "t" comes after "p"), commanding the audience with loose, casual patter, alongside a tight playlist that displays his acumen at the piano, as a blue-eyed soul vocalist (with moves), and convincing showman at the mic.

In addition to songs from his 2010 disc "Suitcases"—produced at 2C Studios in Brooklyn by Ayhan Sahin, with liner notes (and his web bio) written by meese—Shenk premiered several new compositions, hopefully destined for a follow-up project. In all, he appeared at total ease delivering an electrifying evening with an enthused fan base that is in for the long term with this uber-talented showman. Neil Patrick Harris, watch your back, baby. - The Smoking Nun: Chuck Taylor's Live Review

Adam Shenk organically blends neo-soul, R&B and jazz to create his own neo-pop music genre. He is also quite the charmer; as I listened to his unfaltering story, I was immediately transported to his beautiful musical world. Adam considers himself an artist's artist. "I want people to feel it in their soul. I want them to feel like they were a part of the experience; that they weren't just passively watching, but they were into it and kind of right there with me."

Shenk started "punking out" songs on the piano when he was just a toddler and perfected his art at the American Boychoir School, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Boston Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. Adam's musical inspirations are an eclectic mix, tracking his evolution as an artist himself. As a kid, he was into Elton John, Mariah Carey, SWV and Boys II Men, but as Shenk grew into an angsty teen, Portishead, Tracey Bonham and Bjork influenced his musical decisions. "The first album I did was when I was a freshman in college, and hopefully most people will never hear those songs." He described his early sound as "very complex, very raw lyrically and very Tori Amos." Bjork's poetic lyrics and unique sound and vibe really stuck with Adam as he matured musically, and as he grew to find a niche in R&B, he felt inspired by the likes of Jill Scott, Robin Thicke and John Legend. When it came time to record his EP, he knew he wanted it to be less dark than the first and more accessible as well, stating "I wanted to make my music more tangible; I wanted to strip it down and make it more simple."

Adam is the ultimate performer. Aside from his boy-band worthy looks, throwback hair designs and awesome dance moves, his lyrics truly captivate his audience and bring them exactly to where he wants them to go. When asked how he composes his poetry set to music, Adam said "there was a time in college where I would just get really emotional about something and literally lock myself in a room and not come out until I was finished with the song and it was very raw and cathartic." He explained that he didn't always have his own keyboard to create any time, day or night. He would go to a practice room at his school and felt like he had to write as much as he could while he had the opportunity. Nowadays, Adam does have his own keyboard at home and has expanded his writing routine, creating musical goodness whenever inspiration strikes.

Adam's second album, Suitcases, was released last Spring and is a mix of pop, R&B and smooth, world sounds. For his third album, Shenk says he'd like to head in a more up-tempo, dance floor worthy direction with smooth sounds and synths while still remaining true to his "honest lyrics and interesting concepts." Adam is writing more and more every day and literally just finished two songs last week that he's already performing at this week's shows. Take it from this writer, one Adam Shenk show is certainly not like any other Adam Shenk show. Adam prefers to change up the routine from show to show, sometimes opting for a stripped down jazz style set, other times choosing to have a full band and special guests for the ultimate concert experience. He often breaks out in dance numbers, shares stories with the crowd and always, always, always brings down the house with his takes on forgotten, but oh-so-loved 90's songs. Adam hopes that his covers of "Fugee-La", "Weak", "Say My Name" and the like will bring his listeners back to being in their rooms in high school, listening to music and dancing in the mirror. It's true to his form; Shenk most of all wants his audience to leave "feeling like they saw an experience, someone being honest on stage."



- Baeble

With zig zags shaved into the back of his blonde hair and his 90’s R&B inspired music, one would say that performer Adam Shenk is entertaining New York City’s hyper-focused 90’s nostalgia.

And you can hear it in his music- in the synth and groove of the song Taste off of his 2010 release Suitcases but you can also hear traces of neo-soul, and jazz. But don’t be fooled- though his hair is a throwback he wears a modern fitted suit and has trained with top New York choreographers to bring the best of the 90’s and tangle it with the current, creating a cutting edge contemporary image and sound.

Gay pop artist Adam Shenk is breaking the barriers of the traditional singer songwriter prototype- he steps out from behind his keyboard and engages the crowd with his dancing and indelible hooks. And the verdict on the new 90’s boy singer-songwriter hybrid toy? Sugary and sticky hooks, sexy and evocative vocals, and a deliciousness that makes you feel like you are 13 again dancing in front of the mirror.

With an extensive history of studying at renowned music academies, Adam packed his ‘suitcases’ and ventured to New York to express his unique blend of music. Soon thereafter he began gaining notoriety, landing a spot as a semi-finalist on MTV’s Making The Band, performing for Puff Daddy, and working with top choreographer Laurieann Gibson and New Edition/Bell Biv DeVoe member and manager/producer Michael Bivins. Along the way he has been playing shows at top New York clubs including Rockwood Music Hall, Bowery Poetry Club, Bitter End, and he has held a residency at LES hotspot Pianos.

With a new video in tow for the title track to his 2010 release ‘Suitcases ’, Shenk is continuing to play in New York and the surrounding areas!

Catch him Tuesday, January 18th @ 8:30 pm
@ Bitter End 147 Bleecker St. 18+ / $5 - The Best of Gay New York

Camp is back. 2 weeks ago I saw Adam Shenk light up the bored, mid-week, after-hours crowd at The Bitter End. A silky crooner best described as a broadway-modeled singer-songwriter for whom no time has passed since the '90s, Adam Shenk is a singular man somehow possessing the courage to perform (and grind successfully to) Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas".

Complete with suit and skinny tie, Adam Shenk would have looked at home sipping cosmos on a yacht with Peter Cetera and Kenny Loggins. There are a million reasons I could use to try and convince you that this shouldn't work, but with Adam Shenk it most definitely does.

Brooklyn is full of musicians convincing audiences of the newly found fun of forgotten pop music trends. While this spirit certainly animates the anachronistic R&B and neo-soul sound of songs Suitcases and Taste, the sincerity of Adam's incredibly enthusiastic delivery will make you think he came up with these styles himself...and through his own unique reinventions, he has. Check him out live when he plays The Bitter End again January 18 at 8:30pm.

- Mike Levine - The Deli

Adam Shenk throws a little bit of everything at his live performance, which you wouldn't expect from watching his YouTube videos. I came to The Bitter End expecting to see a man and his keyboard - what I got was a well-rounded musical experience from not one, but seven different people. Tonight, Adam brought two background singers as well as a drummer, a gutarist and a bass player. This added a depth to his music that I was not expecting - it really put some meat behind his sound.

The song selections were also all over the map. Adam showed his range by mixing a Christmas song and a Mariah Carey cover into his set of original songs. But where Adam really impressed me was with his R&B based songs featuring a rapper who goes by the name HEIGHTZ. These two sounded great together and it was these songs that were the most dynamic and fun.

All told, Adam Shenk put on a good live show. Energetic and fun, I would certainly catch his act again.
- I Heard They Suck Live

Adam Shenk is going to be playing on Tuesday November 30 at Cafe Vivaldi in New York, but if you can't make it to show or aren't local, you can indulge in his video for "Suitcases," which is the title track from his new release. Check out the video now.

With zig-zags shaved into the back of his blonde hair and his '90s R&B inspired music, one would say that performer Adam Shenk is entertaining New York City's hyper-focused '90s nostalgia and that's not a mission that many would easily undertake, unless they were bold.

Though his hair is a throwback, he wears a modern fitted suit and has trained with top New York choreographers to bring the best of the '90s and tangle it with the current, creating a cutting edge contemporary image and sound. Shenk is breaking the barriers of the traditional singer songwriter prototype; he steps out from behind his keyboard and engages the crowd with his dancing and indelible hooks.

Shenk garnered notoriety after landing a spot as a semi-finalist on MTV's Making the Band, performing for Puff Daddy, and working with top choreographer Laurieann Gibson and New Edition/Bell Biv DeVoe member and manager/producer Michael Bivins. Along the way he has been playing shows at top New York clubs including Rockwood Music Hall, Bowery Poetry Club, Bitter End, and he has held a residency at LES hotspot Pianos.

Forget the hipsters. Shenk is the new NYC! Just ask my friend Lily, who happens to work with him.

Did you watch the clip of "Suitcases?"

—Amy Sciarretto
11.19.10 - Artist Direct

Distinctively retro yet actively modern, Adam Shenk has forged a sound of his own in today's disturbingly homogenous music scene. With blue eyes and red hair Shenk is just as visually striking as he is musically. His R&B hooks, mellifluous vocals and awesome dance moves make him into some sort of 90's ubermensch. He has all the best things from the era without any of its weaknesses. He's playing a set at the swank Cafe Vivaldi in Manhattan on Nov. 30. Doors 8 p.m. Free! All Ages. - The Aquarian Weekly

You've seen the bitter cast-offs from reality talent shows. They collapse on the floor, their faces streaked with tears, pounding their fists and asking the TV cameras, "Why me?"

But compared to that normal display of anguish, Harrisonburg native Adam Shenk, 24, sounds positively chipper to have been cut from "Making the Band 4," a talent show airing on MTV.

"At first I was really upset, because I really thought I had a good chance," he says. "But now I've had the opportunity to produce my album, which I definitely couldn't do if I were still on the show!"

Shenk, who lives in Boston, released his self-titled album, full of the R&B pop tunes he would have performed on the television show in July.
He began his music career as a singing toddler, making up songs as early as the age of 3 and always singing in perfect pitch. His mother, Karen Moshier-Shenk, who earned a degree in sacred music, encouraged her son's talent from the beginning.

"When he was about in first or second grade, I was practicing a melody on my guitar and he started singing the harmony," she says proudly. "I asked him what he was doing and he said he was singing the part I usually sang."

He joined the Shenandoah Valley Children's Choir in fifth grade and one fateful day, participated in a workshop with The American Boychoir. He scored an audition with the group and soon moved to Princeton, N.J., where he spent his middle school years at The American Boychoir School.

"I think I might have known at that point that I wanted to do something big," he says. "I started thinking about other avenues, like musical theater. I kind of knew at that point that I would do that as a profession."

He spent two years of high school at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, where he performed in productions of "West Side Story" and "Fiddler on the Roof" with a future star.

"In ‘Fiddler,' I was Russian Soldier number one and Josh Groban played one of the leads," he says. "He was a student at the camp, and it's been pretty cool to see his success."

Moshier-Shenk says it was hard to send him away, but she knew he needed to seize his opportunities. "People tend to say, ‘How is he going to make a living?' and sometimes I don't know," she says. "But I didn't know how to tell him not to do what he was passionate about."

After graduation from Harrisonburg High School, Shenk pursued a degree in musical theater. He was admitted to the Boston Conservatory, where he studied the subject for two years.

"While I was there, I got more into songwriting," he says. "I had been writing songs in high school on the piano, and I started getting really interested in it."

Frustrated with his musical theater program, he started looking for a songwriting program and found the perfect one across the street, at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. He transferred in 2004 and will complete his degree at the end of this summer.

He took the spring semester off to audition for "Making the Band: 4," a talent show that aims to cast singers as part of a band. Judged by rapper/producer Diddy, the singers are eliminated until only a few remain, thus creating the band.

"I had been really inspired by the girl band on the last season," Shenk says, referring to pop group Danity Kane. "Watching it inspired me to get back into dance, so I started taking hip hop dance class two years ago. I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me."

His first audition was in January and while he quickly advanced to the final cuts, he was not chosen for semifinals. Undeterred, he flew to Washington, D.C., for another open call and was far more successful.

"That time I made it through and it came down to five of us who made it to semifinals," he says.

The show flew Shenk to New York City for the semifinal auditions. He had no idea what to expect, or even what to pack.

"They tell you to pack for three months, but you might be going home the first day," he says, laughing.

For the first two days, he worked with a vocal coach and with the choreographer, Laurie-Ann Gibson, and on a Wednesday, he performed for Diddy. He practiced his song, Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour," three times in a row and then, with a spotlight on Diddy and a fog machine pumping out clouds of smoke, he sang first. He wasn't nervous; he was excited.

"At that point, I had made it so far and my confidence came so far that by the time I performed for Diddy, I was just so excited," he says.
When he finished, Diddy whispered to Gibson, but said nothing out loud.

"Diddy didn't really say anything. He doesn't really show any expression. He just said ‘Thank you,' " Shenk remembers. "I feel like I impressed him, though."

Much of the drama shown on television is re-created, he says. "He did this introduction and then he was like, ‘Okay, we'll do that again, because this is for TV,' and he'd repeat it," he says. "And he wore sunglasses the whole time."

Ultimately, 38 people were cut on the first episode and Shenk was one of them. But he saw his newfound free time as a gift.

"The whole thing really inspired me to do my thing and put these songs together," he says.

With his Berklee connections, he found a group of musicians, an engineer and even a graphic designer to help make his dream of an album come true. The CD will be available on CDBaby.com, but Shenk hopes it's just a matter of time before his music is available everywhere. He's moving to New York City in September, and hopes to join a major record company, either as a recording artist or a songwriter.

"I'm going for the big leagues," he says. "I want to do music, theater, film. However it happens, I'd like to do it all."
- Rocktown Weekly

Kids used to practice in front of the mirror, not just stare at "American Idol". This is a new kind of blue eyed soul/singer-songwriter thing from a youngster that comes to this honestly since he was making up his own songs before he was old enough to know what he was doing. If your fave didn't win on "Idol" in the last few years, this youngster might really resonate with you. - Midwest Record

I really need to get out and see some more live music. By that I mean I really need to get out and see more live music made by my friends. I know some pretty talented people.

One of the most talented is my good friend and fellow Berklee alumni Adam Shenk. Adam and I met in 2004 during our first year at Berklee when we were placed in the same ensemble. I was one of three vocalists and he was our keys player. After that semester, Adam switched his principle instrument to voice and began outshining almost all of us. At The Bitter End a few Tuesdays ago, Adam proved that switch was not made in vain.

I had seen Adam play with the The Bloodsugars earlier this year, but this was my first time catching his solo act. He was celebrating the release of his album Suitcases. It was such a pleasure to see the hard work I know Adam has been putting into his career come together in a phenomenal performance. Adam definitely has the talent and the drive needed to be successful in this industry and he is one of the few artists I've seen lately who truly knows what his sound is and it looks like he's having a great time exploring it.
Adam is one of those rare performers who can seemingly do everything. He is a knowledgeable piano player leaning towards bluesy scales that almost certainly influence the R&B/pop tunes he writes. His voice is powerful and clear and never shaky, even when he's busting a move during one of the uptempo songs (this boy can dance)! And he has an incredible command of his band. Every musician up on stage was on point and the arrangements were clear and unique. This was Berklee training put to excellent and practical use.

Adam transitioned from one original song to the next by throwing in unexpected covers of girl group hits from the 1990s. A slowed-down version of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" was beautiful and TLC's "Waterfalls" had the whole audience singing along. Adam even performed Left Eye's "rainbow" verse successfully, though he left the rap breaks in his originals to his good friend Heightz. Adam closed the show with "If Ya Like This" from his first album. It's his best song, and available as a bonus track on Suitcases.

He's playing tonight at Union Hall, see you there? - INFINITY YEAH: Caitlin Rose's blogspot

Among so many hundreds of seasoned artists that I've witnessed over the past 15 years, few possess the innate talent, showmanship and parcel of savvy songs that up and comer Adam Shenk displayed at his live performance Tuesday, May 19, at Manhattan's Bitter End. Despite contemptible weather, more than 100 turned out to celebrate the release of his sophomore CD "Suitcases," and to cheer on this burgeoning talent.

Shenk recorded the disc here at 2C Studios in Brooklyn over the course of six months, with Ayhan Sahin producing; and I was witness to pretty much every note he sang. I've heard the best and the worst—those that stand before the mic and sing an entire song through its duration to their heart's content, as well as others that record word for word, line by line, to have the best among a dozen takes sliced together like a 5,000-piece puzzle. Adam represented the former: The boy can sing with passion and precision.

Hearing him live for the first time, I was witness to those variables that turn great songs into a memorable performance. His moves, playfulness, keen attention to the audience and the clever inclusion of a couple covers—most notably TLC's "Waterfalls," which he used as a showcase for his band—demonstrated that Shenk can deliver the goods with the accumen of a time-tested, worldly pro.

In fact, I was so impressed that I signed on to write liner notes for "Suitcases" - THE SMOKING NUN: Chuck Taylor's Live Review

New York's Adam Shenk recently released his second album entitled "Suitcases." This soulful singer/songwriter/keyboardist oscillates between modern R & B and Pop, with bits of Jazz layered underneath. Shenk is an able writer with a natural flow and feel to his style, as is shown in the truly R & B "Rebel," where a personal connection to his audience is made. There's also a lot to like about the title track, "Suitcases," with its contemporary sound and smart lyrics, and "Saturday" featuring infectious, danceable beats. In fact, variety and versatility abound throughout, with music and arrangements that have no trouble keeping listeners hooked.

Shenk delivers low-key sincerity in "Trust In Me," and combined with the piano on "Still," he digs down deep to true emotion, with a smoothness along the lines of Michael Buble and Harry Connick Jr. "Warning Shot" draws us in with its unusual, evocative, and earthy sound, which continues into "Legend," where an outstanding flute and guitar lends an exotic, sensual appeal. Everything about "Spend The Night" works beautifully: the beat, the guitar, and the infusion of jazz weaves a magic spell steeped in romantic tones. Adam Shenk's cool vitality will no doubt result in smashing success.
Check out Adam at www.adamshenk.com.

- Lily Emeralde and Emma Dyllan - Phosphorescence Magazine

While Adam Shenk was creating songs and harmonizing with his mother, Karen Moshier-Shenk, at age 3, many of us were still trying to color inside the lines.

“I can’t remember a time when Adam didn’t want to do music,” says Moshier-Shenk, who earned a music degree from EMU. “He was not even in school yet and I was singing, and he started harmonizing with me and he was spot on.”

As part of the church choir and then later with the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir in fifth grade, Shenk finally got a chance to share his vocals with the world when he auditioned and made it into the American Boychoir School in Princeton, N.J. There he spent middle school learning everything he could about music — a turning point in his career, says Shenk.

“I feel like I owe a lot of my skills to my time at the American Boychoir School,” says Shenk. “The training was intense, it was consistent, and it was excellent, just singing hundreds and hundreds of songs. I feel like it really shaped me.”

Now, Shenk lives and performs in New York City, a performer’s dream where creativity’s bursting out of every corner. As well as singing and songwriting, Shenk dances, acts and plays the piano and keyboard.

“I’ve met a lot of musicians and dancers in New York City, I’ve done a lot of dancing and taken a lot of classes,” says Shenk. “I’ve been really honing the performance, and building the following.”

But to make a living in the Big Apple takes more than just hard work and talent, says Shenk. He works multiple part-time jobs bartending at Broadway theatres; coaching performers in singing, sight reading and audition preparation; and working for Story Pirates, a kids’ program where kids write stories and improv actors act them out to music. Shenk also plays piano with a band for young children that introduces them to music.

Since his stint on the reality show “Making the Band 4” on MTV, Shenk has been furthering his career by working to “get his music out there,” he says. Whether it’s through music videos, social networking or his new website, Shenk hopes to get involved in more gigs that help pay the bills and try acting in film, he says.

“The move to New York was hard. I’m just kind of figuring out the industry a little bit more, the reality of it,” says Shenk. “I definitely feel like I’ve grown up and had more experiences. I’m not quite as naïve, I feel a little more grounded and I know what a tough industry it is. I’m just trying to really stay in the game and stay focused on what I’m doing.”

With another son in Boston, Karen Moshier-Shenk makes the trip north to visit Shenk and his brother when she can, and recently visited for Shenk’s CD release party in May.

“I’m a proud parent and I’m a musician myself, but I’m not one to gush,” says Moshier-Shenk. “Yes, he is very talented, but realistically there are lots of talented people out there. So it’s talent and hard work and making it come together.”

“Suitcases” is a neo-pop genre of music, boasting a hip-hop base and earthy, jazz tones that make you want to move.

“A song could come together in a day or it can come together in three years or longer, it depends on inspiration,” says Shenk, who performs solo or with a full band. “Sometimes an idea for a song will come out of the feel for the music, a concept or the title of the song will inspire me, but it always comes from an honest place.”

In the future, Shenk hopes to take his music on tour, specifically to California, and eventually Europe and Asia, he says.

“It can be really hard to stay with it if you’re not enjoying it,” says Shenk. “In the past year especially, I’ve been doing a lot of shows, and I’ve fallen back in love with performing and doing shows, which is what it’s all about.” - Rocktown Weekly