Porch Stomp presents: Intro/Cory Shelly
With the fifth Porch Stomp around the corner, we’ve decided to take the upcoming year by storm and start a media campaign to bring attention to our artists in new and inventive ways (well- inventive for us!) To kick off, we're releasing videos of our artists every Monday for the rest of the summer, starring not only the familiar staples from the Porch Stomp universe but also some fresh faces as well!
As the producer of this series, I’m excited to highlight performers who are important to the framework of our organization. While most of these videos feature regulars on the NYC scene, some (including our first video) introduce new friends and out-of-towners that we’d like to share. We often talk about "community" at Porch Stomp events, and the "community" I grew up in has greatly shaped the vision of developing Porch Stomp as an inclusive organization years ago. Back in the mountains of central Pennsylvania we would pride ourselves in our familiarity and looked forward to welcoming others in with open arms. It’s this same familiarity that allows us to be a resource for so many entering into our ranks , many of whom will soon become regular players on the local, national and (hopefully) international music scene themselves.
With this preface, I bring you Cory Shelly. Cory and I grew up together in the tiny town of Liberty, Pennsylvania and I’m ecstatic to bring his perspective into the Porch Stomp world. Since getting reacquainted with Cory’s work after about ten years apart, I’ve been impressed by his musicality and songwriting. His themes are simple and human; whether performing songs about love, life or the greater complexity of human existence (he writes both Christian and secular music) he brings earnestness and a bravado often heralded within the roots music community. We snagged him for a few minutes to shoot a video of one of his songs, “Oh, Marie” live at Porch Stomp 2017.
An interview with Cory
So, first thing first: tell us about your Porch Stomp experience!
It was a great day of celebrating music and making new friends! I drove up to Harlem the night before and slept on my bass players couch. We spent the morning commuting to the island and as we stepped off the ferry, the heavens let loose. We ran about a mile in the pouring rain to the Admiral's house, where I'd be filming with Beehive Productions, and three takes later we were done! Then the rain stopped, the sun came out and we stomped the porches and made friends. I played a set on the Nick Horner Family stage, then we walked around the island and enjoyed the beautiful day, meeting people and listening to music.
What about your songwriting process?
My song writing process is less of a process and more of a response. What am I responding to? Some people would say God, or the universe, or love. I'd say depending on the song, I'm responding to all of those things. I rarely sit down with the intent of building a song. Most times I just hear a tune, or a few notes and the rest flows out of me in one sitting.
Tell us a little about “Oh, Marie”.
The inspiration for this song is the love of my life and mother of my children. When I am with her I am a better man. I am able to think and see clearly. When I am away from her and my kids, I look at their picture and let my anxieties melt away. I close my eyes and see them smiling. . . It puts things in perspective!
Finally, where are we all going to check out your music?
My music can be found on I Tunes, Spotify, Google Play, Youtube, Bandcamp, Soundcloud. etc. with links available on my website, www.coryshelly.com
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Thanks, and a special thank you to Beehive Productions for the video editing!
Nick
