Cheree P.  Shattuck

My name is Cheree Shattuck. I have been playing music and singing since a very young age. Growing up in a musical family, (where everyone either sings, plays an instrument or is involved with ministry), it was second nature for me to begin expressing myself musically from an early age. I'm an all-around artist and creative.

 

I have loved acting and films from a very young age as well. However, the first artistic language I remember was music. My mother has a gorgeous voice. Growing up I remember her singing in church as well as playing the organ. I have memories of her being asked to sing many times especially if it was for a musical or second service on Sundays.

 

If one wants to listen to R&B in the Bay Area the radio station was and still is 102.9 KBLX! I will never forget my mother back in the 90's singing Tevin Campbell's "Can we talk" produced by the multi-talented Baby Face and Darryl Simmons. Hearing my mother sing that song as we were riding in the car was the day the respect I had for her as a wonderful vocalist went up!

 

As I've gotten older, I realize how privileged I am to have been born into such a naturally musically talented family. My grandmother and great aunty the wonderful and late "Ruby Robinson" traveled in a gospel singing group during their prime. They were known to be really good singers in multiple cities. My uncle (Rev. O'Neal Young Jr.) also has a beautiful singing voice along with a lot of my cousins. Not to mention, my mother along with my great aunty, Uncle Glen and grandmother all play the piano and/or the base guitar.

 

When it comes to instruments, my passion is for the stringed instruments such as the piano and the guitar. However, the instrument I'm most affluent in is the drums! (laugh out loud). For whatever reason, the drums was the instrument that I excelled at playing more than the others. I have been playing drums since I was nine years old. As I get older, I have more and more respect for the craft of musicianship.

 

When we are young it's very easy to get inspired to want to play and copy what we see the experts and the prodigies do! However, I have come to really appreciate the work ethic. It takes time, focus, practice, discipline and a lot of repetition to become a marvelous musician and singer. Today, I would say I'm slightly above average as far as my drum skills go but the instruments I'm going to focus more energy on are the piano and the guitar.

 

Being a musician is being a student. A student of the craft and of the art. It's never too late to start and one is never too old to grow. So let this inspire you in your musical and artistic journey to start where you are and do what you love. I love you. Let's get it!