I'm back at the very top of the search engines!!!  After having to take my site down, you couldn't find me anywhere.  Now, I'm back to number 1, Baby!!!  Thanks guys!

 Just recorded a 3-song demo with my side project, The Old Country Playboys.  It's hilarious at this stage of my life, because I have never listened to country music, nor did I ever see myself playing it.  However, anyone that has been a "struggling artist" can attest to the fact that you head where the money is.  In short, you do what you have to do in order to be able to make a living at your craft.  However, I have truly been surprised at how much fun I've been having.

This side project is dedicated to "old-school" country music - and harkens back to the glorious days of the likes of Buck Owens, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, etc.  We will begin writing in the very near future as well....but the passion will remain for the "old country" sound and philosophy;  passion through simplicity.  

In other news...I have a packed weekend full of shows.  I look forward to seeing YOU (yes...YOU) at one of them.

Word and Watermelons,

Michael S.

 Ok...so as many of you will remember (and in a case of truth being truly stranger than fiction), my former website was hacked (twice) by Iranian hackers, who posted countless propaganda.  Thus began the long and arduous process of rebuilding a web home-sweet-home, and the formal launch of this here website.  That process took a week.  One frustrating week.

Part deux - My computer, obviously as frustrated as I was with the whole process decided one morning to refuse to wake up.  The hard-drive had gone on to be with the great mainframe in the sky.  Not being a novice to hardware/software installation and troubleshooting, I took it upon myself to go out and purchase a new hard drive, and the brand-new version of Windows 7.  I figured this would be an excellent opportunity to upgrade my older computer, and save myself the coin that it would cost to completely replace said computer.  Makes sense, right?  Ugh...if only.

The new hard drive worked swimmingly, but as usual, Microsoft let me down.  Apparently, the new version of Windows doesn't recognize most older drivers - so my sound card was rendered completely useless, and my monitor reverted to the most basic of monitors that money can buy.  Most horrifying, however, was the fact that ALL of my music stored on an external drive was unreadable by Windows 7.  Storing it on an external drive was supposed to be safer than keeping on the hard driver for this very reason, but I digress.

(note - to those who are already bored with this techno-speak, please feel free to skip the next paragraph, as I only continue my profanity-laced rant about computers there)

Out of frustration, I decided to get the f%ck out of the PC world and invested in a bouncing baby iMac.  While the cost of said computer made my wallet clench like a sphincter, I am gloriously once again back on top of the necessary evil known as Technology (read - social networking, marketing, bookkeeping, booking, etc).  

(cue angelic fanfare)

So now, i can get back to focusing on what I love most - music....and speaking of....I hope to see each and every one of you (except that drunk prick with the drool stain on his shirt that kept trying to talk to me while I was in the middle of my song) at one of my many gigs this weekend.  My good friend, Michael Dougherty, will be covering for me at AJ Spurs in Grover beach this evening while I play a very special private party.  However, I will be at the Maverick in Santa Ynez - on the patio - from 2-5pm, and then the party moves over to the Alisal in Solvang from 6-10(ish).  

See you soon!  

Love with Smile Sauce,

Michael S.

There is so much to update you on.  However, it has been a long and frustrating day of technological challenges.  As such, I'm heading off to band practice.  Music making is so much more beautiful and constructive than working on an effed up hard-drive.

More to come tomorrow.  Night!

Welcome friends and fans (not necessarily in that order) to the bizarre and strange world of Michael Shelton.

This website, music and experience are not for the faint of heart, pregnant women, and is void in the state of Rhode Island, and void where prohibited.

For the rest of you...condider yourselves warned...

Please check back often, as there is much news to share, and little time.

This weekend will find me in Paso Robles on Friday night, and Pine Mountain Club, where I'll be headlining the Wine in the Pines festival. For those of you who will be attending this amazing event, please remember to stop by and say "hello". (note - "hey", "howdy", and/or "'sup" will also suffice)

I'm booking a tour for the end of summer, so if you'd like to see me at your favorite venue, please drop me a line ASAP...

Love and Lemonheads,

Michael S.

No thoughts will be harmed in the development of this blog, and you can rest assured that it's author eats ONLY tuna-safe dolphin...