Birthdate: Sept. 24
Birthplace: Lafayette, La.
Residence: Louisville, Ky.
Family: Kelli (wife); Saban (son); Shali, Steiner (daughters)
At a time in recent entertainment
history when “Seabiscuit” has galloped across national radar as a
top grossing movie and recent Oscar nominee, SHANE
SELLERS is poised to re-define the definition of “American
hero.”
In a land that has produced a wagon
train of ‘singing cowboys,’ Shane is breaking new ground as a world
class professional jockey with a hankering for the recording studio.
His first musical venture,
“Matthew, Mark, Luke, & Earhardt” impacted listeners
deeply. The song, written before the death of the racing world legend,
proved a tribute from a winner in a parallel universe in the world of sports.
Sellers is today as passionate about his
work in front of the microphone as he is about his time in the winner’s
circle. He signed to Lofton Creek Records in Nashville under the guidance of music industry veteran, Mike
Borchetta. Shane’s music business mentor is clearly impressed
with Shane Sellers. “He’s a man’s man, and a role model
that young people can look up to,” noted Borchetta.
“The music business could clearly use a large dose of what Shane brings
to the table.”
Shane’s latest music endeavor on
Lofton Creek Records was “You
Can’t Count Me Out Yet”
written by country giant, Travis Tritt. The title holds a personal anthem
of Shane’s own life. He has known both the glory of unbridled
success and the agony of temporary defeat, but was never counted out.
Already a star in the world of
professional horse racing, Shane Sellers’ name is forever etched in the
record books as one of the top jockeys in the history of his profession.
With more than twenty thousand career starts in the stirrups, and two Breeders’
Cups at home on his mantle, Sellers has career wins topping a remarkable $100
million dollars and still climbing, and has ridden in fifteen Kentucky Derbys
The Louisiana native son’s career is so remarkable, HBO produced a 90 minute documentary, “Jockey,” that debuted April 26, 2004. and has been nominated for 3 Emmy’s.
“Jockey” features a retrospective look at the man who came back for
“one more ride.” The special follows his climb back on top
winning horses after a devastating knee injury in 2001 threatened to end his
career.
With a history of broken collarbones,
sprained wrists, and cracked ribs, Sellers wasn’t prepared for the pain
of a frightened horse stepping down on the side of his knee.
“I looked down and saw my kneecap slide off the bone—my knee went
one way and my leg went the other” he recalls. “I knew riding
off in the ambulance that day that I had lost the most important part of my
physical ability to ride. I was terrified.”
What followed was months of painful
recovery from both the physical and mental pain of being separated from his
passion of racing world champions.
Every comeback has its’ price and
Sellers paid in raw determination. Despite immense pain, through months
of rehab, Shane’s guts and unwavering grit, he proved he is a true
champion getting back in the saddle again.
“I promised myself that if I ever
got back to the level of riding top horses that this time around I was going to
have some fun,” Shane recalls. He’s held true to his promise.
He’s already achieved every goal he set in the world of racing. “I
never dreamed I would be in the racing books with the kind of success
I’ve had so everything that’s happened in the last few years has
been a dream to me.”
“Retirement” isn’t in
his vocabulary, but Shane has added to his dream. Shane is looking forward to a
career in country music. “I’m excited about my music and even
if I don’t sell a million records, just hearing my songs on the radio is
a total high for me.”
Those around him think his music is a
natural evolution for the champion. “He’s got that kind of
star quality charisma that translates across every level—whether
you’re a champion rider, or a triple platinum singer,” notes Mike
Borchetta at Shane’s label home, Lofton Creek. “Guys want to
hang with Shane, girls go crazy over him, and mothers just naturally want to
mother him—it’s the perfect material for stardom.”
Shane is a is also one to give something
back. In his hometown of Erath LA, He throws an annual concert that raises
money for underprivileged kids called the Shane Sellers Scholarship
Fund. He has raised over 40K dollars toward the fund since it
started 2 years ago, and received the Key To The City
for his contributions to the community.
With Shane set to o back in the studio
this fall, Shane Sellers is riding high these days—both on the track and
off. And if his “track record” is any indication,
country music fans are about to saddle up for a wild ride with a winning new
artist. |
