20 Something Song for Discerning Women: To the Water by Shellee Coley

Looking for music that encourages action in decision-making? Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity’s free July song is Shellee Coley’s To the Water. Grateful for the blessing of hope, this lyrical prayer calls for sensitivity to the graces of refreshment and healing in our lives.

I wrote “To The Water” after reading a book called Anam Cara by John O’Donohue. There was a section in the book on water and the connectivity it brings to one’s faith. So may times in faith based music, we hear of people going to water for comfort, cleansing, questions, answers and new life. Water is symbolic in almost every major religion and I just wanted to capture the fluidity and vastness of it’s meaning and symbolism in this song. It is by far one of my favorite songs I have ever written and recorded. I hope listeners will step into it and feel as if they have experiences a moment of healing and cleansing.

-Shellee Coley

About Shellee Coley

Shellee has been pursuing music most of her life in one way or another. She attended college at Belmont University in Nashville and got her start as a writer there, but it wasn’t until after having two children, that she really began to pursuing her career as an artist. Since 2009, she’s put out 3 studio projects with Jeffery Armstreet of Magnolia Red/ Red Tree Studios. She’s played shows with such prominent artists as James McCartney, Teri Hendrix, Susan Gibson, Gretchen Peters, Greg Laswell and Karla Bonoff.

Since 2012 she’s been working with young songwriters, doing camps and private classes with Real Life Real Music, as well as her own company called Circle Sessions, mentoring young women in their creative endeavors. In the past two years she has spent most of her time playing regionally, but also toured through Tennessee, North Carolina and up the East Coast, having the wonderful privilege of opening for Mark Germino at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, as well as being one of the featured supporting songwriters at the 2014 Dripping Springs Songwriter’s Festival. She is currently working on a new single, with an EP slated to follow in late 2015. (Photo by Trish Badger)