Adam Shoenfeld
Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Adam Shoenfeld
Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Available January 28,2021
MORE ABOUT ADAM
With the crunchy, loud and proud opening notes of his lead guitar on Big & Rich’s “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy),” and the edgy, aggressive tone heard on Jason Aldean’s breakout smash “Hicktown,” Shoenfeld blazed a trail for a wave of hard-rock influenced country that changed the genre forever -- and he hasn’t looked back since.
Born in Huntington, New York, and raised in New Jersey with a love of jazz, blues, rock and heavy metal, Shoenfeld came to Nashville at the age of 19 and began working as an in-house musician at Woodland Studios. There he met “Big Kenny” Alphin and later John Rich, going on to became a member of the infamous music-and-art collective known as the MuzikMafia and Rich’s go-to studio guitarist, laying down demos for soon-to-be groundbreaking songs like Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman.”
With the formation of Big & Rich in 2003, Shoenfeld was invited to play guitar on the duo’s debut album, Horse of a Different Color, including the multi-platinum single “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy).” The song ditched familiar country sounds in favor of Shoenfeld’s brash, live-oriented feel, and helped open the floodgates in country’s new era of crossover success. He has since played on many Big & Rich recordings. He toured with the group from 2005-2007 and 2009.
Around the same time Big & Rich was getting started, Shoenfeld became member of Jason Aldean’s showcase band hoping to score the rock-loving Georgia native a record deal. Once Aldean was signed, Shoenfeld stayed on to help develop the superstar’s muscular sound and provided the chugging, down-and-dirty guitar on Aldean’s debut single “Hicktown,” which went on to become a Top 10 hit and earn platinum sales status. Shoenfeld has been featured on every subsequent Aldean release.
Following the success of Big & Rich and Aldean, Shoenfeld’s unique sound made him an in-demand studio guitarist, and he has now been included on over 300 albums and over 40 number one hits, including titles by Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett, Alabama, Rascal Flatts, Kelsea Ballerini, Cody Johnson, Kid Rock, and many more. His work has led to nominations for the Academy of Country Music’s Guitarist of the Year award in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
As a songwriter, Shoenfeld was awarded SESAC’s Song of the Year honor for Faith Hill’s “Mississippi Girl” in 2005, and he is also the co-writer of Big & Rich’s “Real World, “High Five,” “When the Devil Gets the Best of Me” and “M-E-D-E-L-Y of the Hillbilly Jedi,” plus Jason Aldean’s “Laid Back.”
As a producer, he has guided projects for John Rich (Rich Rocks), Sarah Darling (Angels & Devils), Kelsea Harmon (One Big Favor), luvjOi (Volume 2) and more.
In 2012, Shoenfeld joined Tim McGraw’s touring band and currently travels with the group when he is not in the studio.
Through his years of success as one of Nashville’s go to sidemen, Adam has never stopped chasing his own musical path. Whether it’s his punk, rock, metal, and grunge influenced power trio Digital Brains, his 70’s/80’s rock, California country influenced duo SunKat, or his ELO, Tom Petty, Beatles influenced solo project, he’s always chasing the dream.