JD Shelburne is that rare artist for whom the dream, the life, and the music have all come together.

            “I’ve been blessed enough to hit that sweet spot,” says JD, whose musical journey has taken him from his from his hometown of Taylorsville, Kentucky, to national prominence—and most recently to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. “One by one, the dreams have come true, and the Opry is the biggest dream of all, the one I’ve had since I first started playing. And the best part is that I have the truest and most loyal fans in the world, and they’ve been with me every step of the way.”

            The Opry invitation comes as JD expands his imprint in every direction. This year saw the launch of his own JD Shelburne Signature Series Inclusion Brand Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and it sees the release of his seventh studio album, the eagerly awaited Raised on the Good Stuff.

            JD’s latest achievements add to one of the richest resumes in the world of country music. He has made his way to the iTunes Country Top Ten and been featured on CMT, GAC and the Circle Network with fan favorites like “Church Pew Barstool” and “Cars & Trucks.” He has recorded & shared the stage with the Country Music Hall of Fame Members, The Oak Ridge Boys, opened for national acts such as ZZ Top, Montgomery Gentry and Marty Stuart, among many others, been featured on the cover of Kentucky’s Official Tourism Visitor’s Guide, and sung the national anthem at sporting events such as major league baseball games, UFC Fights and NASCAR events. As someone fiercely loyal to his roots, he made NBC National News for the sheer size and exuberance of a crowd numbering in the thousands at one of his annual hometown concerts.

            After the triumph that was Neon Hallelujah, JD is reaching new heights with Raised on the Good Stuff, beginning with its crowd-pleasing leadoff single, “Summertime All Year.”

            “I’m so proud of this record,” he says. “As always, I’ve worked with some of the finest co-writers in Nashville and chosen some outside songs that speak to my heart and let me rock it on stage.” Standouts include “No Me Without You,” “Forever,” “Little Heartbreaker,” and the title track, which finds JD celebrating and channeling the ’90s country that shaped him and so many of this generation’s artists and fans.

            “With every record,” he says, “I want to outdo my last project, bringing even better songs and performances, while staying true to who I am as an artist.”

            The album is yet another crowning achievement in a life that began on a Taylorsville tobacco farm with his principal father and schoolteacher mother, as he learned “a strong work ethic, a love for family, and a passion for what you do.”

            At 19, when he returned from college for his grandmother’s funeral, he found a guitar in her closet and took it back to school. He began playing every day between classes, and when he came home for the summer, he practiced in a local church.

            “That’s where it all started for me,” he says, “and it just all came naturally.” Friends urged him to play clubs, and it wasn’t long before he had a loyal following and sellout dates on his hands. He began playing in Louisville and then moved to Nashville after graduation.

            Along the way, he has been featured in Country Weekly Magazine, debuted as the #1 trending artist on CMT.com, and performed at hundreds of fairs and festivals spanning the eastern U.S. He has been part of the CMA Music Festival, the NCAA Women’s Final Four, and the Quaker State 400 NASCAR Race, and has performed at SunTrust Park, Guaranteed Rate Field, Great American Ballpark, Freedom Hall, and Rupp Arena, to name just a few, sharing the stage with over 70 national acts. He was featured as the Texas Roadhouse Artist of the Month nationwide in May 2020 in 580 restaurants, a feat shared with the likes of Kenny Chesney, George Strait, and Rodney Atkins. He has made numerous appearances at the Kentucky Derby and his outfits have been featured on display in the museum at historic Churchill Downs. He performed the Kentucky state song at the capital by request of the state’s Senate and House of Representatives, and he was part of Hometown Rising in Louisville, headlined by Tim McGraw, playing for a crowd of tens of thousands. He has been featured in Kentucky Monthly and Kentucky Alumni magazines and was named Most Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Kentucky’s College of Communication and Information in 2016.

            In addition, JD has raised thousands of dollars for charities including St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Blessings In a Backpack, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure to name a few.

            A dedicated family man, JD loves giving his fans a taste of his home life with wife Amy and son Jax. That too is part of the sweet spot as his social media connects him to that growing fan base.

            “I couldn’t ask for a better life,” he says, “and I try with every song I put out to share the blessings and offer encouragement along with the fun. I wouldn’t trade it.”