Blending country and bluegrass with healthy side portions of blues and rock & roll, singer/songwriter Shannon Lawson was born in Taylorsville, KY. Lawson’s family was full of amateur musicians who had frequent picking sessions at home, and he first began trying his hand at his uncle’s guitar at age four; three years later, he got a nylon-string acoustic of his own.
In high school, Lawson formed a rock band, but along with a slew of hard rock covers, he threw in twangier numbers by John Anderson or the Eagles to the setlists. After graduating from high school, Lawson relocated to Louisville to attend college and in his freshman year, he scored a gig with a local blues act (all of whom were African-American, except for Lawson), first playing lead guitar and then adding lead vocals to his resumé.
After a couple years, Lawson left the band and began playing Louisville’s coffeehouses as a solo acoustic act; before long, he hooked up with a bluegrass band called the Galoots and they soon developed a passionate local following for their high-energy mixture of acoustic country and blues. The Galoots released two successful self-distributed albums.
While in the Galoots, Lawson began writing songs for the group, and his tunes won him a deal with a Nashville publishing house, though his move to Music City also forced Lawson to leave the band. After hearing Lawson sing on one of his publishing demos, an A&R man from MCA Records’ Nashville office became curious and after a showcase solo gig in Nashville, Lawson scored a major-label deal in 2001. His debut solo album, Chase the Sun, was released in the spring of the following year. He joined Muzik Mafia in 2004 and toured with the collective group of talented artists while continuing his songwriting.
Lawson currently plays locations across the country and plans on releasing his next album in Early 2012, and is currently working on a joint venture, El Camino, with another former Muzik Mafia member, Jon Nicholson. They are planning to release their latest project in Spring 2012.
Goodbye on A Bad Day can be found on the Chase The Sun album.
It is a pleasure to know you, you have an amazing talent, for music,its meaning and for knowing how something as simple as a song can have a life changing impact on someone’s life. I sincerely hope the dream within you never fades. YEE–HAW!
Hey brother Hippy Chris here! Hope all ai well with you. I’m doin good up here in Mpls. If you see Megan Bartram tell her I miss her. Thanks -Chris 612-203-5403
Shannon, remember what i asked homecomin? i got somethin i need to send to you to proof read maybe put music to it, it isnt 100% complete, but i cant msg u on facebook.
Man we miss you in Louisville! I’ve been listening to the Acoustic Living Room Sessions recently (and several times today:)), and I just miss hearing that voice live so much. I used to come to practically every show for the years you played here – both the Blues band and the Galoots. I have danced on many a table, chair, and dance floor to your music. You wouldn’t recognize my name, but you would probably know me if you saw me. What a crush I had on you and your talent
. Hope you come see us again soon – I would even venture out to a bar again to see you and relive the old days!
Is Shannon touring any this year? My boyfriend is a HUGE fan and I would love to take him to a Shannon Lawson show for our 3 year anniversary.
Shannon, Ginger from L’ville. Going to be in Nashville Jan.
11&12..you playing anywhere?