Shaner was raised in Connecticut where he was involved in sports and theater. After spending one year at Bard college, he attended New York University where he studied theater under William H. Macey and David Mamet. At NYU he wrote and staged two plays, and also began playing his original songs on the streets and in the subways. Early friendships with late friend Jeff Buckley, Tom Clark, Daniel Harnett, and long time close friend and collaborator Danielle Howle have been influential. Together with Howle, the two sang a duet for the main track of a film called "Glissando."