Meet Shelby Lentz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Lentz.  

Hi Shelby, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always had a passion for music. When I was young, I enjoyed singing in choir, and I remember the excitement I had avery time a new album came out that I could buy and listen to on my boombox or Walkman. I always had headphones in because it made the world around me that much more simple, relatable, and beautiful. I started writing songs and poems in elementary school. I even was awarded for one of my poems in 4th grade that made it into a publication with all other children around the nation who had been recognized as well. Mine even made the top 10! I had always loved storytelling, but I had no idea how to bring my words to life because I did not play an instrument. I remember hearing Taylor Swift say when she was 13, she taught herself guitar. With her in mind, my nana bought me a pawn shop guitar on my 13th birthday and I began teaching myself to play. One chord at a time, I was teaching myself and playing for hours on end a day until my fingers would bleed. The first time I knew I had a gift was the 6th grade talent show. I stepped on the stage and sang by myself for the first time ever. I chose to sing “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. In that moment, my family was in tears, and the crowd gave me my first-ever standing ovation. I knew I never wanted that moment or that feeling to end. 

I have continued on performing in high school through choir and musicals, and I began performing on my own out at bars and venues and anywhere that would let me perform. I would go to school during the week and perform music on the weekends. I have had the opportunity to perform as the opener for Frankie Ballard, former American Idol contestant Matt Giraud, and even Montgomery Gentry. I had a troubled childhood, and my music was an incredible outlet for me. I wrote many songs through my darkest times like every songwriter does. I knew when I graduated; my heart was set on Nashville. 

I spent two years post-high school graduation in Nashville attending Belmont University. It was here I met many of my friends for life. One of them happens to be my current producer, and it has been a blessing and a joy to be able to still come to Nashville to work with him and really have him bring my music to life the way I had always envisioned it. 

Unfortunately, my time in Nashville and at Belmont were cut short prematurely. My family had been diagnosed with a rare genetic disease known as Huntington’s Disease. With it being genetic, that means every child of a parent with the faulty gene has a 50/50 chance of inheriting it themselves. HD is compared to having ALS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s simultaneously. It causes your brain cells to deteriorate and creates issues with cognitive and motor functions. Many have issues to take care of themselves in later stages. They often lose their ability to walk, talk, eat, and struggle with dementia or hallucinations. 

Because we did not know my father had it until after I had moved, I grew up with him having many behavioral issues that ended up stemming from his HD. He had cognitive and behavioral issues that were unexplained. He would have episodes that would lead to him being verbally and physically violent and ultimately lead to him being arrested multiple times. While HD affects everyone in different ways, and not every person with it is angry or violent, these are the unfortunate symptoms he suffers from. We learned later he had this from my grandfather. Both are still alive today. My dad lives alone and is on disability without the ability to drive due to his cognitive decline. My sister Breanna was diagnosed with the rarest form of HD, the Juvenile form, which manifests before the age of 20. By 11, she was diagnosed, and by the end of that year, she stopped walking and talking and had a feeding tube placed. 

There is currently no cure, and I watched her while I felt helpless and broken. Despite knowing my odds and having no symptoms at all, I was diagnosed gene positive at 20. This was the same year I decided to leave Nashville and return home to be with my family in this troubling time. Although I don’t have symptoms, without a cure, I face developing them at some point. But no one knows when, how, how severe…you just wait. 

But for me, just waiting wasn’t good enough. I was out performing at a local bar in Michigan I had played at many of times. I would always bring up Huntington’s before I would sing my original song, “Champion.” This was a song I wrote with fellow artist and Belmont student Jess Kellie Adams. It was inspired by the Sylvester Stallone “Rocky” films. I had always loved and admired the character of Rocky and his inspiring quotes about life. We wrote this song about getting knocked down and never refusing to get back up. After I found out about HD, I would share my family’s story whenever I performed it live. This led the bar owner I was singing at the inspire me to begin a nonprofit. With his help, I began “Champions for HD” which helps with research efforts and aids families in need who are affected. We are currently 4 years old and have served over 70 families. We use the power of music to host an annual benefit concert every year to raise money. 

Since then, I have continued to pursue music. My current newer style/genre has been more pop rock/pop punk. I am working on releasing a new EP with new singles on the horizon! I am working with the incredible Dallas Jack from Record One Nashville. I am going to be releasing a body of work I wrote during my teenage years that I am so proud of and excited to share! I am going to release the first single soon. To me, bringing to life songs I wrote as a teen is not only making my inner child so happy to hear these songs I wrote in my high school classes or on my bedrooom floor come to life, but to also heal that inner child in me I lost so early on. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Since discovering my family has HD, I have constantly worried about my own fate now that I have been diagnosed. I worry about if I will lose my ability to do what makes me the happiest: performing. Will I forget the songs I love? Will I stop being able to play the guitar and sing or even speak? Most importantly, I am an advocate for those with Huntington’s and using my platform to bring light to the tragedy it is. 

In April of 2020, my younger sister Bre who had the Juvenile Huntington’s passed away from it after spending 3 months on hospice. She had just turned 14. 

I continue to live life being brave and enjoying every moment as she did so easily when she was struggling. I wrote a children’s book in her honor called “Brave Breanna,” and it has since sold over 300 copies and been translated into 3 languages. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been an active/paid performer for 12 years now. Being 13 and playing at a bar feels so funny now, knowing my mom had to be there with me until I was of age. It feels like a lifetime ago. But I have experienced so much growth since then. My music has evolved as well. Not only my lyrics but my genre, identity, and knowing who I am. 

Thanks to my mom, I grew up listening to so many genres it was hard to pick a favorite or stay in “one lane.” 

My early musical ties and creations were more country centric but have now evolved into a more pop-rock sound. Which is cool for me to see. I grew up loving Avril Lavigne, Paramore, and wanted to bring that energy and style into my next era of music. 

Music saved me, truly. I have experienced so many lows, but music was the natural high. Instead of finding an outlet for my traumas being high on drugs, I was high on music and the goosebumps I would feel when I heard a beautiful lyric or melody and the butterflies I would get in my stomach if I wrote something as magical as that myself. Knowing it also helps and impacts others is the greatest blessing and the gift that keeps on giving. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t believe in luck, personally. I have always believed in a higher power and everything happening for a reason, despite not always know why or what that looked like. I always believed in God, but I didn’t fully have my faith transformed into what it is today until all of the tragedy I had faced–especially losing my sister. 

My first single I released after taking a long hiatus from new music and the loss of my sister was called “Need You.” It is a beautiful ballad talking about needing God and wanting to feel his grace. 

While I have been let down, hurt, and disappointed…even when it doesn’t make sense yet, I always put my faith and trust in God. It keeps me sane and grounded. 

Shelby’s latest single, “Doing Fine” will be available on all platforms October 14th. Be sure to presave and share!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shelbylentz.com/
• Instagram: @shelby_lentz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shelbylentzmusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shelby_lentz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/shelby-lentz
• Other: https://www.championsforhd.org/

Image Credits
Bailee B Photography
Danielle Leanna Photography