Shannon Hurley is attempting the impossible. She's trying to make a splash in the L.A. music scene, not with money, connections, or a keen fashion sense, but with great songs. She has this crazy idea that there might be room in today's musical landscape for catchy, uniquely melodic, pop ballads combining classical piano with rock guitar. The singer/songwriter gets moody and creative with beautiful harmonies and ethereal arrangements. She performs with her full band to create a cool, atmospheric rock energy. Above all, what sets Shannon apart from the crowd is her natural talent for songwriting. This is evident not only in her current mainstream endeavor, but also in "Two Western Sketches", her trombone and classical sonata, published in 2000. She has also studied with Pat Leonard, who wrote such hits as "Cherish", "Like a Prayer", and "Live to Tell" for Madonna. Like most accomplished musicians, Shannon began playing at an early age, first on the piano, and later moving unconventionally to the trombone. It was while studying trombone at the University of Colorado in Boulder that she began to bloom musically. She was working at the Fox Theater, where she had the enviable task of stage managing for some of the industry's top talent, including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Julian Lennon, and Joe Jackson. Being immersed in this singer/songwriter influence spurred Shannon to return to the piano and begin writing her own songs. Shannon moved to Los Angeles in 2001 and dove headfirst into the music scene. She began playing her new songs to the delight of the coffeehouse circuit while also playing keyboards for a number of bands. After meeting bass player Ben Eisen in one of these projects, the two began performing as a duo. With the recent additions of Wisconsin native Matthew Emmer on guitar, and Antiguan drummer William Dorsett, her vision is finally coming to fruition.