Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Bill Sharrow, announces the release of his first
solo album; I Ain’t Looking Back on May 1, 2024.
This collection of 14 original songs includes inspirations from his varied musical influences.
Bill's experiences in his nearly 60 years playing, teaching, and performing originate from the genres of
Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country, Blues, R&B, and Funk.
On these tracks, Bill, along with some close friends, takes you on a trip through his life and loves -
without looking back!
Bill usually performs as a bassist but on this record, he gets to show off his talents on Drums, Guitar,
Pedal Steel, Piano, and Organ as well as Bass.
Most recently, Bill co-produced and co-wrote many of the tracks with Mike Guldin on Mike's Blue Heart Records releases; The Franklin Sessions (BHR|046) and Tumblin’ (BHR|022).
Along with Mike’s great band, Rollin’ and Tumblin’, these releases enjoyed many weeks on the
Blues and Roots charts.
MUSIC
VIDEOS
Hymn For The Fallen
Rainy Day
I Ain't Looking Back
LIVE
I Ain't Looking Back
AVAILABLE NOW!
Photo By: Tina Pastor
Upcoming Shows
06 Apr 5:00-8:00
Peppers Itallian Restaurant
King Of Prussia, PA
with AM Radio Tribute Band
12 Apr 5:00-8:00
Tom N Jerry's
Woodlyn, PA
with AM Radio Tribute Band
26 Mar 7:00-11:00
Sellersville Moose Lodge
Sellersville, PA
with Mike Guldin Spring Fling
27 Mar 5:00-8:00
Chaps Taproom
Norristown, Pa.
with Patchwork Horn Band
Photo By: Marcy Sharrow
In his historical work The Life of Reason: Reason in Common Sense, philosopher George Santayana created the often-repeated (and misquoted) phrase “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
In his historical work, I Ain’t Looking Back, songwriter, bassist, and vocalist Bill Sharrow repeats that aphorism on a handful of cleverly earnest, new, self-penned songs such as “The More Things Change.” Yet throughout his lovelorn, open-hearted, and celebratory debut solo album, Sharrow often shifts away – smartly, passionately – from the guilt of dooming one’s self for the risky pleasure of
reiterating life’s most rewarding challenges and complicated affairs.
Sharrow, therefore, borrows from another maxim, albeit one less lofty and more Stax label-soulful – and direct – in its nature: “If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want to Be Right.”
As an all-purpose, all-genre bassist, former Fretz Music Center co-owner (with his wife), and BlackCat Recording Studio operator steadily working in the Philadelphia area since the mid-1960s, Sharrow has forever had complex, contagious melody in his gut and emotionally nuanced lyricism in his head. With his ballsy, yet tender debut solo album,
I Ain’t Looking Back, Sharrow also brings the heart to bear his fourteen original songs. That he does so in a
Composer-vocalist-bassist
Bill Sharrow “I Ain’t Looking Back” – until he is
By A.D. Amorosi
guilelessly plain-spoken manner is what makes Sharrow, the lyricist, more of a sniper as opposed to a guy splattering buckshot emotion across his track list.
Sharrow isn’t about to pretend that he’s a kid who just came up with a handful of new tracks, or even that he invented the deeply rhythmic, low-down blues, the basis for much of the mood of I Ain’t Looking Back and its fourteen songs. Nobody owns the blues, and Sharrow has spent a lifetime concocting their nuance, living through their heartache, and reveling in its joys.
If loving what blue Bill Sharrow has committed to with the richly-lived-in I Ain’t Looking Back,
I don’t want to be right, either.
THIS IS ME
Bill began guitar lessons in 1964 at the height of Beatlemania and at the age of 15 started his professional performing career.
A few years later, when asked to fill in on bass one night, Bill realized this was his calling and never looked back.
Bill began teaching guitar and bass at Fretz Music Center, Souderton, PA, in 1973 and 1988, along with his wife, Marcy, purchased the store and ran it successfully until 2016.
Through the years, Bill has had the opportunity to gain experience playing music in many different genres including Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country, Blues, R&B, and Funk.
Then, and now, he maintains a busy schedule performing and recording with AM Radio Tribute Band (AMRTB.COM), The Flamin’ Caucasians (Flamincaucasians.com), Mike Guldin and Rollin’ and Tumblin’,
Craig Thatcher Band, and Back To Amy - Amy Winehouse Tribute (BackToAmy.net), as well as,
Patchwork Horn Band and many others.
Bill’s other love is recording, and in 2016 he established BlackCat Recording Studio where he
most recently co-produced Mike Guldin’s latest releases; Tumblin’ and The Franklin Sessions on
Blue Heart Records.
"Bill Sharrow shines in this debut CD. An incredible songwriter, effortlessly combining many styles and genres offering us an intimate glimpse at the underbelly of one's soul."
- Modhouse Productions
TESTIMONIALS
"I have had the pleasure of following Bill’s career for over 30 years. Be it funk, jazz, or top 40 it has always been apparent that Bill is a great bassist. Now with this new release, not only does Bill showcase his musicianship , but exposes us to his talent as a composer, vocalist and producer. This long-awaited album was definitely worth the wait!"
- M. Parks
"Some of Bill’s songs are quite sentimental; others are straight-up fun; the best ones are both! His lyrics are often witty, insightful, and heartfelt, but that’s no surprise because that’s just the way Bill is."
- Steve Sauer
CONTACT ME
