Mike Shupp

Drawing from the jangly pop of Athens in the 1980s, Virginia native Mike Shupp creates heartland pop built on crunching guitars and his own sugary-sweet vocals. He first performed with Bang Theory in the early 1990s, but the group’s breakup left him unable to form another band. Undeterred, Shupp launched a solo career with the 1997 release of October Sun, which drew praise from Spin Magazine and additional outlets. Following a stretch of live shows, he entered the studio in 2000 with producer Jeff Murphy to make The Key; recorded in Chicago, the album featured Shupp on every instrument except percussion. After earning favorable local reviews and returning to the road, he shortened the gap between projects and began work on This Time in spring 2002. Mixed by Indigo Girls producer Don McCollister, the record appeared that September.