Spending much of her childhood moving from state to state for her parents’ jazz performance dates and residencies, Shana grew up playing, singing, acting, and dancing in various fine arts groups, wind and jazz ensembles, and eventually began stints as a backing vocalist for new wave bands in her Quadrophenia bullseye army jacket, boots, & Bow Wow Wow faux-hawk.
Shana has guest-voxed with various singer/songwriters on their recordings & live performances including Brother Brother, Stephanie Rogers, Miga, Kari Nelson, Peking Turtle, Cheryl Wilson, Paris DeLane, David Blaimiers, Paul Mabin, Liam Davis, Steve Frisbie, Ingrid Graudins, and Anne Harris. You won’t find her in a jingle house, but you’ve heard her giving live vox support to some of Chicago’s best original groups and creative artists, as well as regularly performing, co-hosting or leading Chicago vocal showcases including Chick Singer Night, Singer Spotlight, and The Local Vocal Brew.
As the core’s backing vocalist in Tributosarus, she has taken much pride & love in cultivating and expanding the circle of musicians and vocalists brought into the fold to help implement each show. In 2004, Shana began a project that’s referred to as the sister-act to Tributosaurus, “Ladies of the Canyon Present”, a quarterly-held concert series hosting high profile Chicago-area singer/songwriters and wicked-amazing musicians to perform music from a legendary female recording artist. Check out www.myspace.com/lotcchicago for details.
Now residing in Los Angeles with husband Matthew, Shana is finishing her recording “Valiant” www.myspace.com/shanagray, has been building a track catalog, and begun co-writing with local producers. Thankfully, she’s doing her best not to partake in any surf-speak, acoustic-jamming philosophical bonfires.