Music
Shannon Hudson Faces His Fears With Encouraging New Folk Single “Run Into The Arrows”
The single captures the most terrifying, yet powerful realizations of life into an easy listening folk track for fall.
Folk singer-songwriter Shannon Hudson released his inspiring new single “Run Into The Arrows” on November 9. Hudson’s deep voice full of character paired with his incredibly moving lyrics showcase what a true folk singer-songwriter was born to do – tell stories for listeners to find their own meaning in.
Hudson says the inspiration for the single came when training for a half-marathon. “They tell you to run the opposite direction of the car traffic to be safe…[I] realized I was running straight into [traffic].” The singer says he felt exposed to the danger of oncoming cars, yet strong in his ability to protect himself, sparking the idea for the song’s lyrics. Growing up listening to rock and roll of the late 50s and early 60s, Hudson was destined to create songs about the pivotal points of life.
In relationships, you have to be courageous and open yourself up to your partner in a way that can be frightening, says Hudson. “The fearless show their vulnerability and run into the arrows.” The folk singer is no stranger to patiently observing life’s most special moments. As a father and husband, Hudson says he still takes the time to write music with a physical pen and paper, delicately reflecting on humanity’s journey. “The more I live my life, the more I believe that you have to be vulnerable to show courage,” says Hudson. “There’s no true bravery unless there is exposure and vulnerability involved.”
About Shannon Hudson:
I’m a husband and a father. I do a lot of the cooking, and I do most of the dishes at home. My favorite moments are the little ones – watching my son catch a line drive in the outfield, floating in the pool with my wife, and watching the sunset over the Leander, Texas hills from my backyard.
When I play live music at a venue, which isn’t often, it’s usually myself and an acoustic guitar – although my dogs get to hear me sing and play quite a bit. In my youth, there were full bands on a stage, mainly with my brother playing next to me. I tried to write lyrics on my computer for awhile, but switched back to a pen and paper. It just seems to work better. I try to write songs that capture a little bit of our humanity, something that the current world tends to strip away from people.
My family is from Oklahoma, but I was born and lived most of my childhood in Wisconsin. My Mom and Dad aren’t musicians, but music was always a big deal in our house. Late 50’s and early 60’s rock n’ roll were in constant rotation. Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran (my Mom’s cousin), Elvis, and Ricky Nelson were larger than life. My maternal grandmother was one of my favorite people I’ve ever met, and I was lucky enough to know her into my adulthood. My older sister introduced me to Wham and Duran Duran. My younger sister was my best friend. I spent the summers of my teens delivering newspapers and playing beach volleyball on the Lake Michigan shore. We skied a lot in Northern Michigan during the winters. We’d load up the family van, and head up for the weekend.
I started piano lessons in 4th grade. When I was in middle school, my jazz band teacher made everyone take a 12 bar improvisational solo in the key of “b flat.” It was the first time that I realized every song I’d ever heard was just someone’s idea that they made up in their head. The first CD’s I bought were Led Zeppelin IV and Eric Clapton Journeyman, although I had a dubbed cassette of Aerosmith’s Pump that was on constant rotation in my car (which only had a tape player).
I went to college in California, and my sophomore year, I lived in Germany. My Grandmother bought me a guitar so I could have an instrument to play while I was over there. I’d sit in the walk-in closet of a room that I shared with 3 other guys, and strum until my fingers bled or until I couldn’t feel them anymore. I learned to play a lot of songs with 3 chords in them, and started writing my own songs as well. In my 20s, I formed a band with my brother. We played a lot of great clubs in Los Angeles, and took an extended vacation that included playing shows around the country while staying at a number of KOA campsites.
These days, I live in the Texas hill country. The end of my backyard drops into a small canyon that has a spring at the bottom of it along with a hiking trail. I go skateboarding with my son as often as I can, and he’s constantly doing tricks that I’m not even close to attempting. On weekend afternoons in the summer, my wife and I like to float in the pool, plan future adventures, and talk about life.
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For more information about Archer Stevens, please visit [website].
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