Truckstop Souvenir: Bio

Truckstop Souvenir

The songwriting duo of Dennis James and Lauryn Shapter was born out of a chance meeting in December of 2002. Old-school country music junkies, the two share an undying passion for music that matters, as well as a profound respect for life and all its myriad emotions, stories, and characters. They began melding their sound into what would eventually become Truckstop Souvenir, drawing inspiration from the rural American landscape and the open road, as well as from the musicians who traveled the highways and back roads before them.

In July of 2005, Truckstop Souvenir began recording their debut album, "Leave Nothing Behind" with two-time Grammy winning Garey Shelton at Garey Shelton Productions in Seattle, Washington. "Leave Nothing Behind" was officially released in July of 2006 to critical acclaim both here and abroad, and is receiving airplay across the country and in Europe. It was also named in several Top Albums for 2006, including WVPE's "The Back Porch" and Colin Fielding's "Folk and Roots" out of Australia.

Truckstop Souvenir relocated to the beautiful prairie state of Iowa in September of 2006, from where they toured extensively in 2007. This past year has found them spending most of their time holed up in their attic-turned-recording studio, working on the follow-up to “Leave Nothing Behind”. They plan to release their sophmore album, “Under a Big Blue Sky”, in the fall of 2008.

Their live performances feature sparse but powerful arrangements of two acoustic instruments and harmony vocals, creating a sound that is at once familiar to old time country and modern Americana. With a broad canvas of original songs and signature versions of cover tunes, Truckstop Souvenir takes the listener on a journey along roads less traveled. A slice of the American landscape that often yields the best of keepsakes, Truckstop Souvenir is pure and honest music, music with a rare intimacy that cuts right to the heart of what it means to be human.

Truckstop Souvenir: two voices, two acoustic instruments, and songs that are best taken straight up, no chaser.

Dennis James - vocals, guitar, mandolin

A native Texan, Dennis James sings his heart out on lead and harmony vocals, bangs away at the rhythm guitar, plays some choice lead guitar, and occasionally stomps his feet in a barn dance fashion. He's recently added mandolin to his musical arsenal. Dennis also hosts "Gravel Road Radio", a weekly radio show on KRUU-LP FM, dedicated to the best in Roots and Americana music.

Lauryn Shapter - vocals, fiddle, guitar, and piano

Born in the country music mecca of New York City, Lauryn Shapter has spent just about a lifetime with her fiddle. Singing harmony vocals led to the discovery that she actually liked writing and singing her own songs and the songs just continue to pour out. Truckstop Souvenir's arrangements find her on fiddle, guitar, piano, and lead and harmony vocals. Lauryn is the host of "Crooked Sisters Radio Hour", a weekly radio show on KRUU-LP FM, spinning the best women in Roots, Americana, country and bluegrass.