Shawn Bray:
CLASS OF 1986

Springstead High SchoolClass of 1986
Spring hill, FL
Shawn's Story
Life
Crazy ride so far. Can't wait to see what the future has in store. After graduation, I continued to work at WWJB radio for a couple years, while I wrapped up my AA at PHCC. I went on to FSU and majored in Theatre and Communications. I didn't finish school because of a twist of fate. While attending FSU, I also worked as a DJ and morning show host for GULF 104. Apparently our competition wanted me out, so they hired a PI to pretend like he was stalking me, and out to kill me. I took about a week of it with police and everything, and then went to of all places, GAINESVILLE. I went there because a good buddy of mine was going to school at UF, and I needed to just air out for a while. I became more interested in musical composition and began writing music constantly. I did some traveling and ended up back in Spring Hill for a bit and then back to TALLY, even though I didn't go back to school there. By this time, my buddy from Gainesville had moved to TALLY along with my younger brother. I traveled back and forth from Tally to Brooksville, where I was a DJ at the Holiday Inn at 50 & 75. Great gig! I left Tally when my dad had heart surgery. I stayed in SH and started my first official business with my dad. We worked the business for about 9 months before it caught the attention of an investor who subsequently purchased it. We got jacked, but that's a whole story all on its own. I moved to Tampa where I landed a job as assistant catering director for a fancy place in Hyde Park. Part of my job included hanging out in the Sky Boxes at Tampa Stadium during football games, and overseeing the staff that catered to the owners and all the goober smoochers. On Mondays, my job was to clear out all of the "old" beverages from the Sky Boxes. The "old" beverages, which were now two days old, ended up in my extra-large refridgerator. I had a kick-ass apartment right on Bayshore, across from Harbor Island, right where they used to keep the Gasparilla Parade B...Expand for more
oat. It was a very unique pad. I could take my keyboard down next to the water and sit for hours writing and playing music for passersby. I really started to get the hang of writing and producing music, but I wanted to learn more. So I moved behind Morrisound Studios in Tampa and worked there as an "intern". I basically swept the floors and performed other odd jobs just to get a chance to look over the shoulders of some of the best producers, engineers, and artists in the Music Biz. I met a ton of contacts and decided to start my own band. Actually, I helped another well known local artist form the group, Machine Said... We were doing very well when one day the members of the group (I was the frontman and songwriter) came to me and dropped off my belongings. They told me they didn't want to be famous and it looked like that's where things were headed. BUMMER! I took a little time and wrote some more music. About a year later, I formed the group Synapse. We were a hit! We toured. We recorded. We sold CD's. I hung out with Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson, White Zombie, and even, get this, Adam Ant. We had our music on the radio in the US and overseas. And we were finally approached by Atlantic Records, which seemed to be very cool, but ended up being our demise. The record company didn't want to sign my bandmates, and I couldn't blame the guys for being upset. I discontinued negotiations with Atlantic out of loyalty to my band, and shortly thereafter I decided to call it quits, at least for a while. I moved back to SH and started teaching and went back to school to take some Philosophy and Creative Writing courses. I reformed the band with new members and we created a new sound. I fell in love with Judy. Disolved the band. Moved to Largo. Got a job as VP of Operations for a recording studio. Got married to Judy. Had a son - Jace. And when the owner of the company sold my division, I decided to do my own thing 100% - SBray Productions, LLC BABY!
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