Sharif Iman

A True Testament to the Art of Never Letting Go of Dreams, the Nashville Based Pop Rock
Singer/Songwriter Transcends Years of Career
Stops & Starts
The once homeless performer, who was encouraged over the years by everyone from Brian McKnight to
renowned country producer Frank Rogers (Brad Paisley, Darryl Worley, Josh Turner), is about to impact AC &
Hot AC Radio with his Pop/Rock debut album’s uplifting title track, “Shine”!
Back when singer/songwriters still thought that being signed to a major label was the ticket to fame and fortune, Sharif
Iman (pronounced Ee-mon) was brought to Nashville by renowned country music producer Frank Rogers, soon after
Rogers heard the up and coming performer at a small club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Rogers, who would go on to helm projects by Nashville greats like Brad Paisley, Darryl
Worley and Trace Adkins, told Iman he had the “X Factor” and could someday be a major
pop/rock artist. With Rogers’ hands-on assistance, Iman honed his songwriting craft and
quickly landed a co-publishing deal with EMI, signing him as a writer while helping him
develop as a rock artist.

A dream come true, right?
Not quite. When the group who signed him moved on from EMI, so did Iman, in his own
direction, packed with valuable lessons, a strong direction and a determined will to outlast
anyone.
Other publishing deals came his way, but he was dissatisfied with these arrangements.
The music industry was shifting fast during this period and Indie labels and artists were
rising in the changing tide. Iman realized this was his time to stay free of contracts, reflect,
re-power his tools, write, watch and wait…for his opportunity to shine.

But he was broke, soon had little more than his guitar and began that well-trodden journey of struggle for years as an
aspiring artist in a town filled with great talent coming and going. Iman always had the option of returning home to
Leesburg, Virginia, but knew if he did, he’d be giving up on his dream, giving up on himself.
He chose to be homeless at times, finding beauty in all the connections the community had to offer, and wanted to share
his journey of freedom and musical purity with anyone he touched. Nashville fed him, embraced him, loved him. And he
loved back with his time, his helping hand, his heart, soul and his music. Iman's spirit was infectious and he felt his
“family” growing at every turn and decided to remain in Nashville. The big, gentle man, “The Chocolate Soul Child,” as
many began naming him, wasn’t going anywhere and certainly wasn’t going to give up.
As a prolific writer of hundreds of songs, it was only natural for the powerful, indie pop/rock album, Shine, to be
Iman’s national debut project; a musical journey echoing with hope, embracement and freedom. He was

determined to share his inspiration and determination, and possibly awaken the same lying dormant within his
listener.
His soulful, infectious title track "Shine" and its accompanying video share this light of hope and connection. It’s a hard-
hitting musical autobiography: “Said I wouldn’t quit till I reached the top/Well here I am and I’m still grooving/I’ve been
working so hard, and I’ve been waiting so long…to Shine.”
It reminds us we can never give up, and that our own life journey is connected to a much larger world family. No wonder
it’s receiving advanced airplay in the Midwest and will soon be impacting AC and Hot AC stations nationwide.
Nothing was going to stop Sharif Iman from living out his dream. It was easy to give up a professional soccer career or
even a roof over his head to pursue his first love--music. “I was never going to find myself looking in the mirror at 50 or
60 asking, ‘What If?’ Scarier than not knowing how my musical dream would pan out was the prospect of not seeing this
dream through to fruition. I’m glad I stuck it out.”
Iman’s musical dream began at age two when he saw his brother Mark playing the guitar, loved the sound and began
plucking at the strings. Growing up in Reston, Virginia, his heroes were Michael Jackson, Prince and The Police, and he
knew he wanted to be an artist in the fullest sense of the word. He began writing songs at age eight and hasn’t been able
to stop. He later took opera singing and diction lessons. His range as a singer was from liberal baritone 2 to tenor 2. He
loved opera, but while attending Coker College in South Carolina, he focused on performance and spent many of his
college years homeless, crashing in dorm rooms and writing on his acoustic guitar in the hallways at 2 a.m.
Making enough from part-time jobs to secure studio time, he recorded his first project and began pounding the
pavement, passing out flyers for some local gigs he did in and around Florence, including Apple Annie’s, local coffee
houses and private parties.
He soon hooked up with Swirl, a group with a Hootie and the Blowfish-Edwin McCain vibe that became regionally
popular. While playing acoustic guitar and working on his songwriting, Iman secured work at venues like the Hard Rock
Café and House of Blues and performed everywhere from Charleston to Hilton Head to different venues in Virginia and
Myrtle Beach, where Frank Rogers first heard him. Choosing to leave the band after a successful five year run was hard,
but Iman had never abandoned his aspirations of becoming a solo artist and had to take the chance on Nashville.
While Iman performed at local clubs like the Exit Inn, Rutledge, The End and 12th and Porter and worked day jobs
painting and soccer training, he continued receiving encouragement from artists like Brian McKnight. He stayed highly
focused on writing and recording projects for years, fine-tuning his sound before embarking on Shine, the debut album
he’s chosen to bring to the world. “Shine features the awakened spirit of my life and artistry right now and I’m ready to
share it and share it far and wide!”
In fall 2009, Iman’s passion and faith in his dreams served him well when Liz Fox of Nashville-based Fox Music, LLC
discovered his music online. She immediately recognized his tremendous talent and signed Iman to her Indie label with a
plan to create his national, debut album he’s been ready to share. David Wilson and Mark Lambert of Nashville
respectively were brought on to produce and master Shine.
Iman’s longtime friend and colleague, Catherine Highfill, met him soon after he moved to Nashville. When she saw his
was homeless she invited him to move into her home with her family and would encourage him with, “Sharif, you have
it—it’s just a matter of time.” At that time Highfill had a PR agency located on music row and they both felt one day they
would work together. They reconnected just before he began working on the project and during the making of Shine,
they inked a management deal.
A deeply spiritual person who is intent on giving back, Iman is passionate about his involvement in Nashville-based
Project: AK47, an NGO dedicated to rescuing and restoring the lives of children in Asia, Africa and Latin America who
otherwise would only know lives of violence and exploitation. Those involved help save child soldiers who have been
brainwashed by drug lords to rape and murder and are subject to physical, sexual and mental abuse. The organization
has reached out to musicians like Iman to help increase awareness of the group and to assist with fundraising and
financial support.

Keep up with Sharif Iman at www.SharifIman.com
http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Ultimate-Living/SIman9-18-2010.mp3
http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Music-Entertainment/Sharif-Iman.htm
- The Big Blend

Sharif Iman The Once Homeless Performer, Who Was Encouraged Over The Years By Everyone From Brian
McKnight To Renowned Country Producer Frank Rogers, Is About To Impact AC and Hot AC Radio With His
Pop/Rock Debut Album’s Uplifting Title Track, “Shine”
I checked out Iman’s music and this is what I found.
“Broken” is a beautiful song that I missed on the first pass of the tracks. This is seriously good PMS
music ladies and you might want to add it to your “chocolate days” music list! The recording volume
on this one is very low and I had to use a headset. The song is worth the extra effort.
“Over You” is my favorite track. BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL! It is very dreamy and wraps
it’s self around your mood. It gently touches on that part of your heart that is just a little too painful to
fully acknowledge. If you only listen to one song this would be the one.
“New York” is my second favorite. No deep thoughts here. I just like the way it sounds.
Iman has a voice that does everything he asks of it and I give his music my highest rating, “This Music
Doesn’t Suck”

Check out his MySpace to hear some great tracks. The song you won’t hear is the one mentioned in
this article, “Shine”. I did send send a request that he add it to the player. Edit: Shine has been added
to Iman’s MySpace player.
His website offers a free download when you sign up for his newsletter. I signed up but didn’t get a
response so I am not sure if the link is not working or just slow. Losillë
Back when singer/songwriters still thought that being signed to a major label was the ticket to fame and
fortune, Sharif Iman (pronounced Ee-mon) was brought to Nashville by renowned country music producer
Frank Rogers, soon after Rogers heard the up and coming performer at a small club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Rogers, who would go on to helm projects by Nashville greats like Brad Paisley, Darryl Worley and Trace
Adkins, told Iman he had the “X Factor” and could someday be a major pop/rock artist. With Rogers’ hands-on
assistance, Iman honed his songwriting craft and quickly landed a co-publishing deal with EMI, signing him as
a writer while helping him develop as a rock artist.
A dream come true, right?
Not quite. When the group who signed him moved on from EMI, so did Iman, in his own direction, packed with
valuable lessons, a strong direction and a determined will to outlast anyone.
Other publishing deals came his way, but he was dissatisfied with these arrangements. The music industry
was shifting fast during this period and Indie labels and artists were rising in the changing tide. Iman realized
this was his time to stay free of contracts, reflect, re-power his tools, write, watch and wait…for his opportunity
to shine.
But he was broke, soon had little more than his guitar and began that well-trodden journey of struggle for years
as an aspiring artist in a town filled with great talent coming and going. Iman always had the option of returning
home to Leesburg, Virginia, but knew if he did, he’d be giving up on his dream, giving up on himself.
He chose to be homeless at times, finding beauty in all the connections the community had to offer, and
wanted to share his journey of freedom and musical purity with anyone he touched. Nashville fed him,
embraced him, loved him. And he loved back with his time, his helping hand, his heart, soul and his music.
Iman’s spirit was infectious and he felt his “family” growing at every turn and decided to remain in Nashville.
The big, gentle man, “The Chocolate Soul Child,” as many began naming him, wasn’t going anywhere and
certainly wasn’t going to give up.
As a prolific writer of hundreds of songs, it was only natural for the powerful, indie pop/rock album, Shine, to be
Iman’s national debut project; a musical journey echoing with hope, embracement and freedom. He was
determined to share his inspiration and determination, and possibly awaken the same lying dormant within his
listener.
His soulful, infectious title track “Shine” and its accompanying video share this light of hope and connection. It’s
a hard-hitting musical autobiography: “Said I wouldn’t quit till I reached the top/Well here I am and I’m still
grooving/I’ve been working so hard, and I’ve been waiting so long…to Shine.”
It reminds us we can never give up, and that our own life journey is connected to a much larger world family.
No wonder it’s receiving advanced airplay in the Midwest and will soon be impacting AC and Hot AC stations
nationwide.
Nothing was going to stop Sharif Iman from living out his dream. It was easy to give up a professional soccer
career or even a roof over his head to pursue his first love–music. “I was never going to find myself looking in
the mirror at 50 or 60 asking, ‘What If?’ Scarier than not knowing how my musical dream would pan out was
the prospect of not seeing this dream through to fruition. I’m glad I stuck it out.”
“Shine is my debut album on the national level, and that’s making all the difference,” he adds. “What makes
these songs stand out from my previous work is that I’m sharing many of the emotional and spiritual
breakthroughs in my life. I’ve become a more mature and transparent writer, much happier with who and where
I am, and the 13 songs on Shine reveal the raw ways I got a grip on my life and became satisfied in my own
skin. I’m excited that songs like “Shine,” “Let It Go” and “Wake Up” are inspiring people to make their own
breakthroughs and keep pursuing their dreams, but on a musical level I also think this is an album that people
can really have fun with. It’s a ‘roll your top down, have a good time, life’s gonna be alright’ album.”
Iman’s musical dream began at age two when he saw his brother Mark playing the guitar, loved the sound and
began plucking at the strings. Growing up in Reston, Virginia, his heroes were Michael Jackson, Prince and
The Police, and he knew he wanted to be an artist in the fullest sense of the word. He began writing songs at
age eight and hasn’t been able to stop. He later took opera singing and diction lessons. His range as a singer
was from liberal baritone 2 to tenor 2. He loved opera, but while attending Coker College in South Carolina,
he focused on performance and spent many of his college years homeless, crashing in dorm rooms and writing
on his acoustic guitar in the hallways at 2 a.m.
Making enough from part-time jobs to secure studio time, he recorded his first project and began pounding the
pavement, passing out flyers for some local gigs he did in and around Florence, including Apple Annie’s,
local coffee houses and private parties.
He soon hooked up with Swirl, a group with a Hootie and the Blowfish-Edwin McCain vibe that became
regionally popular. While playing acoustic guitar and working on his songwriting, Iman secured work at venues
like the Hard Rock Café and House of Blues and performed everywhere from Charleston to Hilton Head to
different venues in Virginia and Myrtle Beach, where Frank Rogers first heard him. Choosing to leave the
band after a successful five year run was hard, but Iman had never abandoned his aspirations of becoming a
solo artist and had to take the chance on Nashville.
While Iman performed at local clubs like the Exit Inn, Rutledge, The End and 12th and Porter and worked
day jobs painting and soccer training, he continued receiving encouragement from artists like Brian McKnight.
He stayed highly focused on writing and recording projects for years, fine-tuning his sound before embarking
on Shine, the debut album he’s chosen to bring to the world. “Shine features the awakened spirit of my life
and artistry right now and I’m ready to share it and share it far and wide!”
In fall 2009, Iman’s passion and faith in his dreams served him well when Liz Fox of Nashville-based Fox
Music, LLC discovered his music online. She immediately recognized his tremendous talent and signed Iman
to her Indie label with a plan to create his national, debut album he’s been ready to share. David Wilson and
Mark Lambert of Nashville respectively were brought on to produce and master Shine.
Iman’s longtime friend and colleague, Catherine Highfill, met him soon after he moved to Nashville. When
she saw his was homeless she invited him to move into her home with her family and would encourage him
with, “Sharif, you have it—it’s just a matter of time.” At that time Highfill had a PR agency located on music row
and they both felt one day they would work together. They reconnected just before he began working on the
project and during the making of Shine, they inked a management deal.
“I think that my life these days is so surreal, and having the opportunity to finally share my music with people
around the world is an amazing experience,” he says. “I didn’t give up when everyone told me I should, and I
didn’t give into those strong doubts we all can have at key times in our lives. People are ‘getting me’ and giving
me that opportunity to ‘Shine.’ I want to write songs of hope and also give fans of pop and rock works of
substance, like a buffet for their spirit. I want my album to help change the atmosphere of a person’s life so that
they listen and understand that while life is often a hard walk, there is always hope. I want them to taste just
some of the freedom I have found.”
A deeply spiritual person who is intent on giving back, Iman is passionate about his involvement in Nashville-
based Project: AK47, an NGO dedicated to rescuing and restoring the lives of children in Asia, Africa and
Latin America who otherwise would only know lives of violence and exploitation. Those involved help save
child soldiers who have been brainwashed by drug lords to rape and murder and are subject to physical,
sexual and mental abuse. The organization has reached out to musicians like Iman to help increase
awareness of the group and to assist with fundraising and financial support.

http://cfmmusicscene.com/2010/10/sharif-iman/
- CFM Music Scene & Entertainment News

Sharif Iman continues to ‘Shine’ on the FMQB Adult Contemporary (AC) Chart as the title track from
his debut album is a ‘#1 Most Added’ song two weeks in a row. The uplifting song “Shine” ties for the
most radio adds with major artists Michael Bublé, Santana and Indie Arie, and is in company with
superstar Jon Bon Jovi.
Set for an October 26 release, the new album Shine will be featured on AOL Music’s CD Listening
Party during that week (October 25 – November 1), allowing new audiences to experience Iman’s
unique blend of modern rock and soul by previewing the entire album throughout the week.
The “Chocolate Soul Child” makes “Shine” come to life in his new music video, which recently made
its debut online.
Iman is also gearing up for a Hot AC radio promo tour this fall, hitting the Midwest and West Coast
regions to promote Shine. Sharif was recently interviewed by Lisa Smith of The Blend Magazine’s
Ultimate Living radio show where he spoke candidly about his long journey in the music business
over the years. Click here to listen to his inspiring interview:
http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Ultimate-Living/SIman9-18-2010.mp3
A deeply spiritual person, Iman is passionate about his involvement in Nashville-based Project: AK47,
an NGO dedicated to rescuing and restoring the lives of children in Asia, Africa and Latin America
who otherwise would only know lives of violence and exploitation. The organization reached out to
musicians like Iman to help increase awareness of the group and to assist with fundraising and
financial support.
For the latest news, photos, shows and more, log on to www.sharifiman.com.
###
http://www.raisedonindie.com/industry-news/nashville-based-rocker-sharif-iman%E2%80%99s-debut-single-
%E2%80%98shine%E2%80%99-is-a-%E2%80%981-most-added%E2%80%99-track-on-the-fmqb-ac-chart-for-the-
second-straight-week/
- Raised On Indie