Biography of Shad Woolley

Guitar, Harmonica and Vocals

Shad started his music career in 1963 with a top group, The Galaxies, at Manasquan High School. Believe it or not, he played bass guitar parts on a two-string mandolin!

Shad worked his way through college playing and teaching guitar, booking and managing groups, and finally earning a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Marketing.

After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles and formed a group called Shadrach, which performed original music. The high point at this time was opening for The Doors at a local college. At one point, Shadrach was managed by Clarence White, the guitarist for the Byrds.

Moving back to the Jersey Shore in the early Seventies, Shad formed some popular Shore Groups such as Family Camp (Which played Jenkenson’s regularly), Oat Willy (a country rock group lasting four years and playing all the top clubs, Hoffmen’s Beach House, Dod’s Crest, Osprey, etc.), Denim, (a trio that was the house band at the Headliner, Neptune for two and a half years.) Moxie (a disco group) and a duo called Shad and Richie (Playing the Red Ranch for four years).

In the 1980s, Shad had his most successful group, The Squan River Band, which lasted eight and a half years. They came in second out of 2,100 bands in a national Wild Turkey Shooter talent contest, recorded in Nashville, and had a Billboard charted song (reached #87).

From the end of the 1980s to the present, Shad saw the club business changing and downsized to doing single and duo acts. He worked multiple nights for fourteen years at the Four Winds in Wall, NJ, and twelve years at The Broadway Bar and Grill in Pt. Pleasant, and five years at Edgar’s in Sea Girt.

Shad has a song list of over 600 songs, so when Shad asks for requests, there’s a real good chance you’ll hear your favorite song!

See you in the clubs!