Published: December 13, 2007 09:33 pm      

Beckley native releases a CD featuring hymns, praise songs

Dave Shrewsbury used to sit close to the organist at the United Methodist Church in Beckley, never taking his eyes off the hands of Mark Matthias as his fingers moved deftly over the keyboards. A youngster with a passion for music for as long as he can remember, Shrewsbury memorized what he saw and heard.

“I would go to my grandmother’s after church and play her piano. I would play whatever I had learned that morning, so I knew how to play by ear early on,” Shrewsbury said.

His family encouraged his desire to begin piano lessons at age 5. Practicing was never a chore.

“I’ve always loved to sit down and play. I enjoyed learning how to read music, but I’m also grateful to Mark Mathias who told me you don’t have to play the notes that are written on the page,” Shrewsbury said.

He’s also grateful to piano teachers Vickie Pachuta, Betty Wilson and Daniel Spurgeon.

“They’ve all contributed so much to me over the years. They’ve given me some great opportunities.”

Shrewsbury is a professional musician and recording engineer based in Boston, Mass.

In 2001, he received a degree in music production and engineering from the Berklee College of Music, and he currently works at a Boston-area advertising agency producing audio for radio and TV commercials.

Armed with a foundation of classical music from his years of piano training in Beckley, Shrewsbury went on to become fluent in the styles of rock, pop, jazz, funk, blues, R&B, and country. He also branched out from the piano and began to play keyboards, Hammond B3 organ, Rhodes and Wurlitzer, as well as guitar and bass.

Throughout high school at Woodrow Wilson, the accomplished musician competed in many piano competitions including the National Music Educator’s Piano Competition.

In the WVMEA Competition, he received five consecutive superior ratings, and he was chosen as the piano accompanist for the West Virginia All-State Choir twice.

Shrewsbury’s talents have taken him to appearances on NBC’s Today Show, performances with legendary artists such as “Danny and the Juniors,” and playing with Berklee’s most prestigious groups in Berklee’s Performance Center, at Boston’s Harvard Club, and at Boston’s Westin Hotel. His music has been heard on NBC, ABC, and Fox, as well as radio stations all across the country.

Now, a new CD has made his talents and those of other musicians available everywhere.

Featuring Shrewsbury’s piano artistry, the CD titled “Be Still My Soul” includes vocalists Becky Johnson of Beckley, Chip Atha of Oak Hill and Chrissy Almeida and violinist Hannecke Cassel of Massachusetts.

“I have wanted to do a CD like this for a number of years,” Shrewsbury said. “I have been playing in churches all my life, and came up with some arrangements of hymns and praise songs. People have asked if I had any CDs. I’m glad I can finally say yes.”

It was one of those efforts that starts small and grows with time.

The 74-minute CD features 16 hymns and praise songs.

Shrewsbury credit’s today’s amazing technology with bringing the performers’ talents together across the miles.

Shrewsbury recorded the piano music in Massachusetts and mailed it to Dan Bailey’s studio in Beckley, where Johnson recorded her vocal of “In This Very Room.”

Shrewsbury and Atha used the Internet to transfer audio files for Atha’s recording of “His Eye is On The Sparrow.”

“I’ve always wanted to do something with Chip. I think he’s phenomenal,” Shrewsbury said. “Technology today is a wonderful thing.”

Shrewsbury said the CD has given him a great sense of accomplishment. “It has been great to see this through from start to finish,” he said. “I’m really pleased with how it turned out.”

The accomplished musician said he hopes the music on the CD proves to be a blessing for others.

“I hope it brings happiness to other people. It’s not about myself. I want people to experience a sense of peace that some of these songs bring. That’s what it’s all about,” he said.

The CD is available at United Methodist Temple, the Christian Bookstore at Cranberry Creek and online at www.daveshrewsbury.com. His Web site also contains interesting tidbits of information about the songs on the CD.

— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com