Bluegrass Trio Shelton & Williams Release New Single Shifting Sand.
Bluegrass trio Shelton & Williams deliver a moving story of love, loss, and reflection with their new single Shifting Sand, on Huckleberry Records. Written by Jay Shelton and Linda Burton, the song blends timeless bluegrass instrumentation with deeply personal storytelling, creating a performance that resonates with emotional honesty.
Shifting Sand is available to radio via Get It Played and on all major digital music platforms for streaming here.
Shifting Sand reflects on the fragile foundations that relationships can sometimes be built upon. Beginning with the hopeful innocence of young love, the song gradually reveals the hard truths that come with time, as two people realize the dreams they built together were standing on uncertain ground.
The poignant chorus underscores the heartbreak at the centre of the story: We built our home on shifting sand, We let it all slip through our hands.
For Shelton, the song carries an even deeper meaning. Originally sparked by an idea from his sister and co-writer, Linda Burton, the recording now stands as a tribute to her memory.
The song Shifting Sand started as an idea of my sister, Linda Burton, as a country ballad about lost love and the mistakes that lead to it and she and I co-wrote it as such, Sadly, we recently lost Linda to ongoing health issues. We did, however, finish the song in the studio before she passed. ‘Shifting Sand’ will always be very special to me and I feel her presence in the song – Jay Shelton.
Shelton & Williams bring the story to life through expressive vocals and a tasteful acoustic arrangement rooted in traditional bluegrass. The performance allows the lyric’s emotional depth to take center stage, while honoring the classic storytelling tradition that defines the genre.
With its universal message and heartfelt delivery, Shifting Sand stands as both a timeless bluegrass ballad and a meaningful tribute to a songwriter who will continue to live on through the music.
Shifting Sand features Jeanette Williams on ass, lead and harmony vocals, Jay Shelton on guitar, lead and harmony vocals, Johnny Williams on harmony vocals, Nick Goad on mandolin and Billy Hawks on fiddle.
About The Shelton & Williams Trio:
Shelton & Williams: The band’s material is a variety of styles including original, classic country, gospel, blues, traditional and progressive bluegrass and Americana. All members are songwriters and seasoned vocalists. Their first project as Shelton & Williams, “So Much Time, So Much Love” released in July 2022. They released two new singles in spring 2024 on Turnberry Records and the full CD will release September 4th.
Jeanette Williams (Danville VA)
Jeanette has become one of the most successful and celebrated women in bluegrass music. Her list of awards, accolades, and career highlights continues to grow, as does her adoring fan base from coast to coast, and internationally, with her powerful songs, angelic voice and warm, sincere personality.
Touring, recording and industry awards have become a mainstay for Jeanette. She also plays bass with the band. With more than seventeen SPBGMA nominations thru 2021, and three wins for Female Vocalist of the Year (2009, 2012 and 2013), two IBMA awards (2006 and 2009 Recorded Event of the Year, with the Daughters Of Bluegrass) two songwriting awards (2007 Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest, 2008 IAMA Songwriting Contest) and over thirty-four years of performance experience in Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel, Jeanette is expanding her repertoire to include her early influences of Classic Country, Blues, Roots, and Rock n’ Roll.
Jay Shelton (Danville VA)
Jay was on the bluegrass scene in the 70’s & 80’s as a lead singer and lead guitarist. He changed direction and became the front man for a rock band for many years. Afterwards he became a singer songwriter performing solo concerts. In 2019 he returned to the bluegrass scene. An accomplished lead guitarist, songwriter and vocalist he recorded his first project “Home” (including Jeanette & Johnny Williams) this past year.
Johnny Williams (Danville VA)
Johnny plays guitar, shares vocals and writes most of the band’s original material. An award winning singer and songwriter, he has been named Virginia State Champion Male Vocalist, PICABO Male Vocalist (twice), and PICABO Songwriter of the Year. He was the bluegrass division winner of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest in 1998 & 1999. He has also been a finalist for the SPBGMA Male Vocalist and Songwriter the past few years in Nashville TN.
Recently Johnny and his wife Jeanette were awarded “Lifetime Achievement Awards” by the city of Danville VA for their contributions to bluegrass music for the past thirty years both nationally and internationally.
