Today we’d like to introduce you to Shane “SF1” Franklin.
Shane, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Before I was born, my mother placed headphones on her expecting midsection playing various genres of music. This is where my journey began. When I was little, the coffee table was my keyboard, the broom was my guitar and I would drum on my mother’s pots, pans and furniture. Eventually, she placed me in West African drum lessons at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. While I was growing up, my mother wrote plays and my aunt was a dance teacher, so I grew up surrounded by the arts. I began to tap dancing when I was eight years old. My mother thought it would match my love for rhythm and she was absolutely right! I began writing my own songs at the age of nine and that is when I was crowned SF1 by an older cousin of mine who was also a songwriter. I’ve always been in love with music and would take any opportunity to play and vibe with other musicians. I played with the local Denver Marching Knights marching band, Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts and the African American Leadership Institutes: Jazz Garden. All of these experiences are an integral part of my love story with music. I attended Denver School of the Arts for high school and continued to foster that love for music and the arts. After high school, I pursued my higher education at Berklee College of Music and University of Colorado, Denver.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think in any industry, you are going to encounter obstacles. But you persevere! There have been hills and valleys. But the highs outweigh the lows. Along my path, I’ve been able to look at obstacles as learning experiences and I’m grateful for those experiences because they have helped shape the artist, humanitarian and businessman I am and want to be. The legendary Quincy Jones says, “You make your mistakes, so you learn how to get to the good stuff,” and I believe that. It’s all in how you look at things!
Cornbread Entertainment – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My company is Cornbread Entertainment and we specialize in music production, artist development and show promotion. I’m also thrilled to be a distribution partner with Big Top Entertainment. I’ve been able to hit the stage with brilliant musicians. We’ve put on numerous shows in Denver, Los Angeles, Oakland and New York City. I love being able to collaborate with other artists and mentor the next generation. As the first artist from the Cornbread roster, I have been considered for a Grammy Award, won 3 Westword Music showcase Awards in the Hip Hop category and am the first Hip Hop act to play Coors Field. A Major League Baseball field. I hope my being the first makes it possible for other hip hop acts to do the same after all music is music! My genuine love for music instrumentation is how I approach creating songs. I like infusing Afro-Cuban, jazz, Middle Eastern, Pop, Rock and Hip Hop. This year I released my singles “Without You” and “Boomerang” both are available to stream on all streaming platforms.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I could look at the business and the music as two separate entities. But they aren’t for me. I’m a musician! My heart is in music, so success for me is defined by my ability to inspire through music and be inspired by music. Success is defined by my peace and happiness, the time I get to work with other musicians, spend time with family and friends and the time I give myself to write and create.
Being a Denver native, I attribute a lot of my success to this city. I love Red Rocks, Gothic Theater, Lost Lake Lounge and all the phenomenal venues in Denver! There is nothing like attending or performing at one of these venues. We also have some of the dopest music festivals! And our music scene is ever-evolving. The musicians here are tremendously talented!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sf1music.com
- Email: booking@sf1music.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shegatan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sf1productions/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SF1music
Image Credit:
Jae Allyce Photography
Amanda Hitz Photography
Sean Hagwell Photography
Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
