Bill Shotton is a native of southern Illinois where he grew up surrounded by coal mines, farms, and the sprawling Shawnee National Forrest. Thoroughly mid-western, he has also called Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska home, not to mention Indiana where he has lived since 2014.

From his earliest years, music cast a large shadow with names like Willie Nelson, John Prine, Waylon Jennings, Jesse Coulter, and Tompall Glaser. Later in life, the beauty and complexity of Bach, ...  read more

Bill Shotton is a native of southern Illinois where he grew up surrounded by coal mines, farms, and the sprawling Shawnee National Forrest. Thoroughly mid-western, he has also called Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska home, not to mention Indiana where he has lived since 2014.

From his earliest years, music cast a large shadow with names like Willie Nelson, John Prine, Waylon Jennings, Jesse Coulter, and Tompall Glaser. Later in life, the beauty and complexity of Bach, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky would also make an impression. These and other diverse influences have helped infuse Bill's style with an original perspective. Never one to take heed of trends and popularity, he has trekked an underground path that is beginning to draw attention. He has been honored with several awards: Two time winner of the Carl Deis Prize for Music Composition (2008, 2009); Co-Winner of the Ann Podraza Award for Music Composition(2010); Collected Works Award from Song of the Year(2011); and most recently, winner of the Indiana Solo Artist Competition from Bridging the Music(August, 2015).

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