Shining with Shinedown

I’ve always loved music. I played trumpet in high school, and still listen to a wide variety of genres. I have a special place in my heart for country, but when I’m working out, it has to be rock.

And not just any rock.

One day on the treadmill, I heard a song by Shinedown. It grabbed me, and I listened to some more of their music. There was so much passion in the words and performances that I began to research them. The lead singer, Brent Smith, openly explains that he is constantly fighting his demons, and has had difficult with heroin and alcohol. In the video for their song “Monsters,” Smith looks in the camera and sings “my monsters are real” with such passion that it gives me the chills.

For me, that song has become my way of getting ready for a presentation, like when a football team says, “Ready…break!” It gets me going, turns my anxiety into excitement, and makes me feel like I can really go on stage and connect with people.

They say it's never too late
To stop being afraid
And there is no one else here
So why should I wait?
And in the blink of an eye the past begins to fade

So have you ever been caught in a sea of despair?
And your moment of truth
Is the day that you say "I'm not scared"