Shelby Lynne (born Shelby Lynne Moorer) is an American country music singer and songwriter.
Lynne's personal history is steeped in family tragedy. Lynne's father, an abusive alcoholic, shot and killed her mother and then himself when Lynne was 17; Lynne and her younger sister witnessed the shooting. Lynne, forced into independence and responsiblity at a young age, began supporting herself and her sister by playing music in local clubs and eventually they moved to Nashville where she landed a recording contract.
After releasing several albums on the fringes of the country music establishment with minor success, Lynne released the confessional, eclectic I Am Shelby Lynne in 2000 to wide critical acclaim; on the strength of the album Lynne won a Grammy award for Best New Artist, despite the fact that she had been recording and releasing records for more than ten years. Her followup album, Love, Shelby appeared in 2001 and was a turn towards a slick pop-influenced sound and more commercial songwriting; the album was a moderate commercial success but received mixed reviews.
