Savannah Shockley keeps the good vibrations flowing

When Lewes' Shockley family gets together, the group inevitably ends up surrounding a piano for a good old-fashioned singalong.

At the center of it all are Ed and Michael Shockley, brothers who inherited their late mother's love of music and made it into their careers. Now, Michael's daughter Savannah is poised to carry the Shockley family musical torch, as she is forging her own path in the music scene.

"Music has always been present in my life," said Savannah, whose grandmother, Carolyn, loved musicals and always expected song and dance in the kitchen.

Like Carolyn, Michael said he encouraged Savannah to perform around the house.

"She literally had to sing for her supper because I always needed a singer," said Michael, a drummer who made it to the national scene in the late '80s and early '90s with alt rock band Ritual Tension and hip-hop/rock hybrid band Sweet Lizard Illtet.

Savannah remembers singing with a choir at church when she was only about 5 years old, but it wasn't until later that she worked up the courage to step out from the crowd to sing solo.

"I was shy about singing alone until about fourth grade," said the fresh-faced 17-year-old. "Then I came out of my shell, and I've been doing it since."

A senior at Cape Henlopen High School, Savannah is a member of Cape Chorale, and dances and acts with theater group. She performs in a number of shows each year, including two main-stage productions.

Music and performing are such important parts of Savannah's life that she plans to pursue musical theater in college next year. Applications are out, and she's just waiting to hear back.

"I'm going to see where this takes me," she said. "Hopefully, I'll audition for a lot my first year."

She also hopes to begin producing her own music, including writing and recording originals.

Her vocal range is eclectic, performing a variety of songs from the 1930s to today, ranging from jazz to pop to rock.

She prefers jazz, though.

"I feel like it fits well with my voice," she said. "I just love that style of music anyway, so it works."

Savannah has never had a voice coach. She said she believes her involvement in theater, Cape Chorale and all-state choir provides her with plenty of opportunities to fine-tune her voice. She sang at the prestigious Governor's School of Excellence, a one-week summer program at the University of Delaware for which only 12 sophomore students are selected each year.

"I got pretty intensive training there, and I learned a lot about my voice there for sure," she said.

Michael describes his daughter's voice as an Amy Winehouse/Stevie Nicks alto. The range of her voice is on display when she performs with The Savannah Band, a duo she recently formed with her father.

"All the music I want to play with other bands but can't, I can give it to Savannah, and we can do it," Michael said.

The Savannah Band started with open mic nights at the Milton Theatre. It's grown into regular gigs over the last year at The Backyard in Milton and Jerry's Seafood in Lewes.

The Savannah Band is set to take the stage again at Jerry's from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 27.

Michael admits he's a little demanding when it comes to music, but, luckily, Savannah has always embraced music and loves performing.

"It's just awesome to see the reaction from the crowd and how they feed off of us," Savannah said. "I love the joy you bring to people when you're performing. It's fun to see how they're taken back when we play one of the old songs they used to love. It's awesome."

It's in the blood

Growing up in Lewes, music was always in the Shockley home. Thanks to their mom Carolyn, Michael and Ed were well versed in the musicals, actors and singers of yesteryear.

Ed, 10 years Michael's senior, also became a huge influence for him as they grew older.

"He was always in bands and playing music, so I knew that's what I wanted to do, too," he said.

Michael majored in music at the University of Delaware. After three years at UD, he moved to New York City to join his brother Ed and Keith Mack in the band Cries, which had recently been signed to a recording contract.

While in New York, Michael became part of a big underground band called Ritual Tension, well known in the CBGB scene.

As if he weren't busy enough, Michael also played in a band called Sweet Lizard Illet, which ended up being the biggest band of them all, signing with Warner Brothers Records in 1992 and touring the country. In a short period of time, Michael had amassed five major record deals.

Then he met his future wife Susan, a successful sales rep in Chicago, at a trade show at the Javits Center in New York. A year later, he moved to Chicago, and started selling clothing.

"Susan was like 'you like to ride around in a van full of stuff, give this a try,'" he remembers. "I went on my first road appointment in Quad Cities, Iowa, and I wrote a $10,000 order. I quickly realized that I did have another talent ... selling dresses to women."

The Shockleys continue to sell clothing today, owning and operating Tom Tom on Freeman Highway in Lewes.

But moving to Chicago didn't mean the end of the line for Michael's music career. Shortly after relocating, he joined a reggae band called Gypsy Fari.

The couple decided to move back to Lewes in the early 2000s to raise their children, Savannah, 17, and Donovan, 13. They still go to trade shows, including the one where they met.

Music is still a huge part of Michael's life. Over the last few decades, his brother returned to the Cape Region, as did Keith Mack. At any one time, Michael can be found playing with Ed, Keith or any of the area's many talented musicians.

When asked what the local music scene has to offer for a young aspiring musician, Michael laughed and said: "It's a great place. The problem is you're going to have to play Jimmy Buffett and Brown Eyed Girl over and over your whole life. I couldn't take it. That's why I got out of here right away [as a kid]."

Decades later, he fully embraces the local music scene.

"Coming back now in semi-retirement, we're fine with it," he said. "We're not trying to change the world anymore."