{"id":7554,"date":"2016-04-01T07:00:16","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T12:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/?p=7554"},"modified":"2016-03-28T13:02:07","modified_gmt":"2016-03-28T18:02:07","slug":"dan-shay-a-memory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.dwrl.utexas.edu\/countrymusic\/2016\/04\/01\/dan-shay-a-memory\/","title":{"rendered":"Dan + Shay + a Memory"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"dan-shay-logo-652x367\"<\/a>Unfortunately Spring Break is now behind us, and although this was a great one spent at SXSW, I have spent the past few days reminiscing over other experiences I have had at SXSW. In the past, I have had the opportunity to see many different artists, but among some of \u00a0my favorite performances, are\u00a0Dan + Shay<\/a> and Tori\u00a0 Kelly (but this is about country music, so I’ll try to keep it that way. And it may have been because Tori Kelly was being serenaded by Dan + Shay, or it may have been Shay\u2019s runs that made me have a memorable experience,\u00a0 or the fact that their new single \u201cFrom the Ground Up\u201d<\/a> is one of my favorite songs of the moment, but it\u2019s definitely a memory\u00a0I don\u2019t forget!<\/p>\n

Dan + Shay are an American country duo comprised of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney. They both met<\/a>\u00a0at a party Dan had thrown at his house. Smyers has said that he hadn\u2019t been able to afford to pay for there to be heat in his home, so in order\u00a0\u00a0to keep his guests warm, they were all in a\u00a0tent\u00a0and all of the guests were huddled around a TV. To pass the time, and everyone at the party mostly being musicians (isn\u2019t that what everyone does in Nashville?<\/i>), Dan and Shay spontaneously started to jam out.<\/p>\n

From that moment on, the two realized there was something there and decided to continue making music. Eventually they got signed to Warner Bros. Records Nashville and released their first single \u201c19 You and Me\u201d<\/a>, along with other singles like \u201cStop, Drop, and Roll\u201d<\/a> and\u00a0 \u201cNothing Like You\u201d<\/a>, all from their first studio album Where It All Began. <\/i>They gained success and have received ACMA vocal duo nominations as well as a CMT nomination for their video “19 You and Me”. Dan + Shay have also been on tour with people like Hunter Hayes, Blake Shelton, and are about to embark on a summer tour with Darius Rucker!<\/p>\n

\"tumblr_inline_n3f5ilYbvn1sb8vri\"<\/a>They performed at Banger’s Sausage House and Brewery at SXSW in 2014 for a SB projects showcase. Before their set, they stood around listening to the music and all of the artists going on before them. For a good 30 minutes Shay stood next to me drinking beer after beer, as I glanced his way fangirling on the inside, but too intimidated to talk to him. So for 30 minutes, I just stood there enjoying the music and processing the fact that 1\/2 of Dan + Shay was next to me.<\/p>\n

After a few hours, Dan + Shay took the stage. Not a lot of people were there for them, so it was easy to make my way to the front of the stage. With a wide smile on my face, I watched them perform. They sang their singles as well as other songs from their upcoming album. On stage, they bantered with one another, told stories, made the crowd cheer, and sang songs!<\/p>\n