From Home Runs to Honky Tonks

Born in California, raised on baseball diamonds and in dugouts, Derek spent a lot of his life on the back roads and in the small towns that make up the glue and cartilage of America. If baseball was his dream, then country music was his inspiration.

"Chasing anything worthwhile is a long and lonely road- George Strait, Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks kept me company and they kept me sane," says Sholl.

Sholl gave it everything he had; he slept on couches, in his car, bus stations and hotel room floors. After finally making it into the minors with the Kansas City Royals farm team, two major injuries ended his career right as the front wheel was lifting off the runway.

"One minute I was standing in the halo of stadium lights, the next I was sleeping on the roof of my truck in a restaurant parking lot. I was gut kicked and gut shot and I did the one thing I thought might save me from a lifetime of bitterness, I picked up a guitar and started writing my way out of a deep dark hole."

Ten years of driving a bread truck, writing and singing nights and weekends, raising his son, DJ, and never giving up led Sholl to a brand new set of lights, a record deal, a cult following and a second chance at a dream.

Sholl first made a splash in the Texas music industry in 2007, charting two singles "Red Blooded Country Girl" and "Pray for Me" off his debut CD "Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time."

"You know, I never quite understood that God working in mysterious ways thing until I woke up a few days ago and realized that if I had made it in baseball that I probably would have been a lousy dad, missed the most important time of my boy growing up and would not be standing here with a shot at a career in country music. It's funny how a change of view can show you just how blessed you've really been."