Singer/songwriter Emily Shackelton, known for co-writing this year's No. 1 Carly Pierce hit What He Didn't Do, which she performed alongside Pierce onstage at Ryman Auditorium for the 2023 ACM Honors television broadcast, is returning to Moose Jaw for 'A Nashville Christmas' on Dec. 8.
Shackelton will perform as part of a group of internationally successful singer/songwriters including Jenn Bostic, Jonny Mo, Sarah Darling, and Lindsay Ell.
The event is one of River Street Promotions' (RSP) charity concerts, so all proceeds will be going to support youth mental wellness in southern Saskatchewan. RSP has organized the Homestand series of concerts in Ross Wells Ballpark for several years, as well as more intimate singer/songwriter evenings at the Mae Wilson, such as 2022's 'Music Row at the Mae'.
"We're so excited to come up to Moose Jaw," Shackelton told the Moose Jaw Express. "It's some dear friends of mine, these girls and I have done a bunch of Christmas shows together, so it's a natural fit. They all have hearts for kids and for mental health awareness, so it's the perfect merging of skillsets and passions."
Shackelton said 'A Nashville Christmas' will not be an exclusively Christmas-song-themed concert — although Christmas music will certainly make an appearance.
"For the most part, it will be like an intimate night in Nashville. We'll share some songs you've heard on the radio, some songs nobody's heard but that are meaningful and have stories we want to share, we'll try a couple of new Christmas songs that we've written together, play a few favourites.
"Really, the theme is to spend a night raising money for mental wellness awareness initiatives and education and support for Saskatchewan-area youth."
Shackelton is currently riding the high of her biggest year ever, including her second No. 1 hit in collaboration with Carly Pierce, celebrating with co-writer Ashley Gorley (who won songwriter of the year), performing at the Ryman Auditorium (her first time there, and her first televised performance), and representing songwriters in Washington, D.C., where she testified on behalf of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
"I was five years between my last number one and this one, so having a second number one hit feels like it really solidifies my place in this town and helps put wind in my sails to, you know, just keep chasing it," Shackelton said.
"Getting to have my family at the No. 1 party was really amazing, celebrating with them and Carly and Ashley Gorley. And then Carly invited me to perform on the ACM Honors with her, which was incredible. ... It was just really magical and special, and I love getting to perform as well as write.
"And then I got to go to Washington, D.C. earlier this year with NSAI, which lobbies on behalf of songwriters and songwriters' rights. And I testified before Congress against the big tech companies that want to keep paying us, you know, tenths of tenths of pennies.
"I joined the board of NSAI a couple years ago, they do amazing work and they also work a lot with aspiring songwriters, which is something I'm also passionate about."
Shackelton met many Congresspeople, got an inside view of the House and Senate, and shared an insider's perspective on the looming changes large AI language models threaten. She said it was one of the most meaningful professional experiences of her life so far.
"Those are big, mountaintop moments, for sure," she said. "And then, our song What He Didn't Do won a songwriter's award for 'One of the 10 songs I wish I'd written' for 2023, which is a neat, songwriters-votes-only award, so I got to perform at the Ryman again. It was really nice to accept that award."
Shackelton was full of positive comments on the other artists she will do 'A Nashville Night' with:
- Lindsay Ell — "Well-known Canadian artist killing it in Nashville as an international country artist" and a "powerhouse at guitar, and amazing vocalist and songwriter."
- Jonny Mo — "Fiddle player and utility player in Carly Pierce's band" and an "incredibly gifted musician and father, which makes him really want to help with this cause. Also a songwriter and vocalist."
- Jenn Bostic — "Amazing. We went to Berklee College of Music together, she's had the number one song in the UK and performed on BBC Breakfast and all the biggest channels and radio there. She's a piano player like me, so we are going to have 'duelling' grand pianos on stage."
- Sarah Darling — "She's had huge songs on the radio over here, number one singles, and the number one record overseas in the UK, and tours all over the world, and she has a beautiful soul."
"Everyone should have access to care for mental health, without shame or stigma," Shackelton added. "We're passionate about making sure the next generation knows that we've all gone through these kinds of things, and we came out the other side, better, because we leaned in and asked for help.
"The more that people can stand up and say, 'Me too, I go to therapy, I take medication, and I'm happier than I've ever been,' the better off we all are. ... I hope we can take this concept and bring it down to Nashville and different places in the US. But I love that we're piloting it in Moose Jaw."
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