After moving from Argenta to Las Vegas to find a job nearly a year ago, 39-year-old musician Shawn Balding was surprised to find work so fast - in three days.

"Just that quick," Balding said. "It was fast."

Balding found out from a friend about the Las Vegas-based Full Throttle Blues Band needing a guitar player. After displaying his talent, the band was quick to ask him to join the band full-time.

A professional musician for more than 20 years, Balding is enjoying his busy musical career being part of a band, venturing solo and working as a sound engineer for some of music industry's greats.

As a sound engineer, Balding has worked with such artists as Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys, Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney. He also has worked with Shania Twain and her husband during the time of her 1995 released album, "The Woman In Me."

"She seemed very nice," Balding said. "(Her husband) was amazing to watch and work for."

Balding also worked with blues singer Etta James about 10 years ago in Nashville.

"At that time, I didn't know how much of a legend she was until afterwards," said Balding of James, who is a 1993 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

Balding's mother, Roxie Gaza of Oakley, recalled Balding and his older brother Shane starting off on the piano and later learning the guitar.

"Since (Shawn) was little, he always had a guitar in his hand," she said.

Gaza, who plays the saxophone, said she and Balding's father, who played the drums, were part of bands throughout the childhoods of Balding and his brother.

She added she is not surprised that their love for music rubbed off on the two children, as they both grew up playing in bands.

The only surprise to Balding's brother, Shane of Argenta, is that his brother hasn't gone farther with his talent.

Shane Balding explained that his brother on guitar has been compared to that of Eddie Van Halen and Paul Gilbert of the band Mr. Big. Based on different levels of musicians, Balding is on a high level, he said.

When Shawn Balding attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Calif., Shane Balding said, out of 800 guitarists nationwide, he was in the top 50.

"He's that good," Shane Balding said, adding his brother also is skilled on piano and keyboards. "I'm his biggest fan."

Shawn Balding, who records in Nashville and performs and lives in Las Vegas, always makes time to visit his family in Argenta, including his 3-year-old daughter, Zandrea, whom he said is his inspiration of "what makes the music go."

"Visiting home, it kind of brings me back to earth. I have to do manual work there," he said with a laugh.

Before moving to Las Vegas, Balding played for various local bands, including the local '80s rock band Mistress.

The Full Throttle Blues Band - which also includes James Logan (saxophone), Milo Duffin (bass guitar) and Tim Webb (drums) - released its first album in April and has performed at most of the big casinos in Las Vegas, including Paris and Caesar's Palace.

"We're doing really well out here in Vegas," Shawn said, mentioning being featured in a Las Vegas newspaper recently.

Being part of the band has allowed Shawn the financial means of releasing a solo CD, he said.

His loyalty lies with the band, but just in case, Shawn said he plans to pursue a solo career that could keep him in the music industry.

"The band is great. I hope we go far, but the reality of bands is that they break up," Shawn said. "(Venturing solo), I have insurance if the band breaks up.

"I would like, like most musicians, to be able to play my own music, make lots of money with it and be able to visit my family," he said mentioning his family as his biggest supporters.

Shawn was able to have his mother sit in and play with the band in June, of which she "thoroughly enjoyed;" and he is working with his brother.

"You have to have that family support behind you," he said. "It's a rough business."

Alicia Spates can be reached at aspates@herald-review.com or 421-6986.