Central New York native, Nicholas Stark, always had a passion for music, starting from his long car rides as a kid, listening to a steady diet of 90’s country. His roots didn’t always remain in the country dirt, though, branching out into the rock world as he hit his late teens. As many country fans know, country music never really leaves the soul. Now in his thirties, Stark is the singer-songwriter for the groups Small Town Shade and Chasing Neon, releasing two award-winning albums thus far, featuring emotionally-infused, aggressive, driving songs that are slightly reminiscent of his rock past, but with a splash of the country he grew up with.