Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Binge-worthy leisure information and superstar interviews
Falling in love with Captain Sandy Yawn from Under Deck Mediterranean made a seismic trade in singer Leah Shafer’s existence. And, in some way, that love led her to Dolly Parton.
As a married mom who sang gospel, falling in love with a girl had huge repercussions. The church in an instant kept away from her, which additionally impacted her occupation as a well-liked gospel singer. Shafer divorced her husband and has been Yawn’s spouse for 3 years.
“I assumed my song occupation truthfully used to be over,” she recalled to Showbiz Cheat Sheet. “That’s the reality. On account of gospel. Like I used to be completed. They shipped my song again to my doorstep, took all my song off the radio. They canceled all my meetings. Love it used to be completed and it used to be miserable and I used to be grieving.”
Shafer retained her process because the Denver Bronco’s “fortunate appeal” who sang the Nationwide Anthem ahead of video games – which they continuously gained. Shafer additionally recorded a couple of songs, transferring extra into the rustic song house. However looking to regain her footing as a singer used to be overwhelming.
“I advised Sandy, that’s like any individual telling her she will by no means pressure a ship once more, that you simply labored so onerous for,” she stated. Yawn has been a superyacht captain for 30 years and these days stars on Under Deck Med. “So I used to be grieving. I used to be new to the LGBTQ group. I went thru a divorce … unmarried mother. It used to be only a lot. My dad died … like any of this, beginning a trade.” Shafer’s father reduced in size coronavirus (Covid-19) early within the pandemic and died. Shafer additionally owns Hydralounge, a pores and skin, IV hydration, and diet supplementation trade.
Shafer and Yawn additionally embarked upon public talking excursions the place Yawn would communicate and Shafer would sing. The duo additionally took any alternative to get all in favour of fundraising and charity occasions.
“And so when this entire breast most cancers tournament got here as much as elevate cash in Nashville on the Nation Song Awards Theater, it used to be Dolly Parton’s song supervisor, and [Parton] used to be additionally acting,” Shafer stated. Yawn and Shafer participated in Nashville’s Kiss Breast Most cancers Good-bye get advantages live performance in Oct. Parton headlined the development and sang her track “Red.” 
Shafer additionally sang. “So truly, I more or less opened for Dolly,” she joked. “I began making a song the track ‘This Is Me,’ however I redid did it to my very own model.” That’s when Parton’s song supervisor, Kent Wells approached Shafer. “He got here as much as me. He is going, ‘The place have you ever been?’ And I’m like, ‘Smartly … [laughs] you already know, in church buildings.’”
Simply being known by means of Parton’s song supervisor used to be spell binding. “So it simply validated it once more,” Shafer recalled of her decision to rebuild her occupation as a singer.
“Sandy and I are doing a live performance on December twenty first in Miami, ‘Christmas with Love’ to boost cash for the Captain Sandy Charity, and Kent and his band are going to play for us,” she stated. “So I stated let’s document. I went to Nashville and I recorded two songs.”
Right through the recording classes, Parton known as Wells a couple of occasions to proportion some concepts. “In the midst of my recording consultation, Dolly Parton known as!” Shafer exclaimed. “Like 3 times!”
Shafer has but to have a complete dialog with Parton, however she met her on the Kiss Breast Most cancers Good-bye tournament. “We didn’t get to hold as a result of Covid,” Shafer recalled. “Nevertheless it used to be loopy to be in the similar recording studio that she makes song and it used to be cool, you already know? And I’m now not in it to make it in song anymore. I simply need to make a distinction. Whether or not it’s thru my storytelling or the podcast that Sandy and I are going to be doing quickly.”
For extra at the leisure global and unique interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.
RELATED: ‘Under Deck’: Captain Sandy’s Female friend Leah Shafer Will Carry out on the Dolly Parton Breast Most cancers Match – ‘It’s a Dream Come True’ (Unique)

supply