Shane Derden

At 42, Shane found himself going through a divorce and unemployed due to the Covid shutdown. Depressed, angry and alone. He found several old notebooks of poems and songs he had been writing sporadically through the years. He decided to do something with these old poems and songs about his life. For four years he built a homemade studio while learning how to record and mix songs without a band. With three guitars, mixing software and determination he began releasing these songs. He has said that some of his songs saved his life by redirecting the pain and depression of what he was experiencing. Every song has a backstory and real people that inspired them.
Beginning with his first album “Better Off” which included “If I Never Knew”, a song written at the age of 19 and “Speechless” written during a conversation and moment of inspiration at 47. He has also released several songs that refer to his love and frustration of songwriting. Songs like “Songs For Sale”, “Wishinin and Hoping”, “Things I Couldn’t Say”, “Sad Songs” and “My Guitar” among others. He will tell you that the three songs that mean the most to him personally are “The Best Part of Me” (about his son), “I’ll Be There” about the daughters of a friend and their mothers struggle. “Just a Friend”was cowritten with a dear friend Ann Nelson that has always encouraged him and was never afraid to tell him her opinion about his songs.

“I have no illusions of fame or fortune. I just love writing songs” Shane Derden