Thrasher Shiver

Thrasher Shiver /ˈθræʃər ˈʃaɪvər/ was an American country music duo composed of Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver, both of whom sang lead vocals and played acoustic guitar. In late 1996, the duo released a self-titled album for Asylum Records, and charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. After the duo split up in 1997, Thrasher found work as a songwriter, writing for Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, and others.

Biography

Thrasher Shiver was founded in 1995, when singer-songwriters Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver were introduced to each other by Bob Doyle, owner of a management company who managed Garth Brooks. When the two began writing and singing songs together, they discovered that their voices blended well, so they decided to form a duo. Both members sang all the lead vocals together, as opposed to one singing lead and the other singing harmony.

In 1995, Thrasher Shiver was signed to Asylum Records. The duo's self-titled debut album was released on September 9, 1996. It produced two chart singles in "Goin' Goin' Gone" and "Be Honest", which respectively reached No. 65 and No. 49. on the country charts. One year after the album's release, Diamond Rio charted with the song "That's What I Get for Lovin' You", which Thrasher co-wrote. (He would later co-write the band's 2003 single "Wrinkles" as well.) Thrasher Shiver also was nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.

Thrasher Shiver (album)

Thrasher Shiver is the self-titled album by the American country music duo Thrasher Shiver, which was composed of singer-songwriters Neil Thrasher and Kelly Shiver. Their only album, it was issued in 1996 on Asylum Records. Two singles were released from it: "Goin' Goin' Gone" and "Be Honest", which respectively reached #65 and #49 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. Thrasher Shiver produced the album along with Justin Niebank, while Archie Jordan also co-produced "Be Honest". "Between the Stones and Jones" was previously recorded by Daron Norwood on his 1995 album Ready, Willing and Able, and "Closer" was later recorded by the Canadian band Jo Hikk on its 2008 debut album Ride. After this album's release, Thrasher and Shiver parted ways, and Thrasher has since become a songwriter for other artists.

Critical reception

Giving it three stars out of five, Thom Jurek of Allmusic called it "polished but impassioned country-rock that touches on honky tonk, barroom weepers and modern country barn-burners" but said that the duo "sometimes suffers from trying to [sic] hard to avoid Nashville clichés." Chuck Hamilton of Country Standard Time praised the duo's vocal harmonies and called "All the King's Horses" the countriest-sounding cut, but added, "Obviously Thrasher and Shiver have more talent than the run of the mill hunks with hats. Maybe next time, the suits will let them show more of it."