Raised in Memphis, TN, Shelby grew up in love with film and music, creating short films and studying percussion from an early age. The two passions have always been hand-in-hand with his films, leading him to work for the Grammy's and touring with the North Mississippi Allstars. In 2010, Shelby also established Piano Man Pictures, a Memphis-based arts collective that supports local projects in film, music, and theatre. He is a graduate of the directing MFA program at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.