Shelly Knight and the Livin’ Dead is an original classic rock style band from Austin, Texas, fronted by powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Shelly Knight. A longtime radio DJ and seasoned performer, Shelly has been compared to Janis Joplin, Pat Benatar, and Heart, delivering high-energy original rock alongside covers of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Rainbow, and Bad Company. After honing her gospel and blues skills with The South Austin Gospel Choir in 1998, Shelly fused her love of blues and classic rock into a style that’s uniquely her own. In 2001, she released Soulride with bassist Eric Leikam, earning critical acclaim, U.S. and European airplay, and helping launch Right-On! Records. In 2005, she joined forces with Fred Schultz (guitar) and Andy Wood (drums)—both former members of the Priority Records band Joyfinger—to form Shelly Knight and the Livin’ Dead. The band’s 2006 self-titled debut received rave reviews, with the single Radio winning awards at the Houston International Film Festival and the song Lying Lady ranking #17 in Scotland that same year. Their second album, II (2007), continued to gain praise and solidified their reputation as a force in rock music. In 2021, the band released their third album, which received critical acclaim and international airplay. In 2022 Max Mendez stepped in as the new bassist and with him they are currently wrapping up production on their highly anticipated fourth album, with the first single set for release this spring.