Shaun Johnson (singer)
American musician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shaun Terrance Johnson is an American vocalist. Johnson is the lead vocalist of the a capella group Tonic Sol-fa, and the lead singer and founder of Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience.
Shaun Terrance Johnson[1] | |
|---|---|
| |
| Background information | |
| Born | |
| Genres | A cappella, big band |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1995-present |
| Member of | Tonic Sol-fa, Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience |
Early life and education
Johnson was raised in St. Joseph, Iowa.[2] As a child, Johnson dreamed of becoming a famous singer, and his interest in music was encouraged by his parents.[3]
Johnson, a tenor,[4] graduated from Saint John's University in 1994 with a major in history and political science. While in college, he met fellow student Mark McGowan, and both joined Tonic Sol-fa, an a capella group, in 1995.[5] Johnson chose to join the band rather than attend law school,[6] with law school being a fallback option in case the music career didn't pan out;[7] his family was supportive of the decision.[8] The band's name derived from a method of teaching choral singing used in England in the 1800s.[4] College friends Jared Dove and Greg Bannwarth would later join the group.[9]
Career
Tonic Sol-fa
According to the St. Cloud Times, Tonic Sol-fa achieved "international fame".[10] Unlike many a capella groups, Tonic Sol-fa's songs are drawn from a variety of contemporary music genres, including pop, rock, country, and bluegrass.[6][4] The group launched their final tour in April 2025.[11]
The group has sold over two million albums.[12][13][14] December 15, 2008 was recognized as "Tonic Sol-fa Day" by R. T. Rybak, the mayor of Minneapolis,[15] In 2010, the band won an Upper Midwest Emmy award for a song featured in a Toys for Tots ad.[16] In 2016, Tonic Sol-fa was voted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.[17][18]
Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience
In 2012, Johnson created Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience. He created the band out of a desire to perform live more frequently.[19] The big band consists of eight members, but occasionally performs with an orchestra. The band performs standards as well as non-traditional numbers;[20] Johnson aimed for the band to be "something other than a staid, 'sing "Sentimental Journey"' kind of show", and to use revenue from the band to fund nonprofits like the Make-A-Wish Foundation.[19]
Band members are recruited from "top-shelf players from across the spectrum of popular music".[21] The band performs a mix of original songs as well as covers with unique arrangements.[22] According to Allmusic, the band "straddles the line between the traditional pop of Frank Sinatra and the contemporary stylings of Michael Buble".[23]
The band initially focused on performing during the Christmas season to raise money for charity.[24] In 2013, Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience released the album What I'll Do (YouTube Sessions).[1] The band received a PBS special, The Spirit of the Season, in 2018.[7] In 2019, the band's album Capitol peaked at number five on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.[25]
Personal life
Johnson resides in Sioux Falls, South Dakota[26] with his wife, Mary, and their three daughters.[27] Johnson previously lived in St. Cloud, Minnesota.[10] According to the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, Johnson has participated in philanthropic efforts with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross.[28]
Discography
With Tonic Sol-fa
- Left Turns in Cross Traffic (1996)[29]
- Style (2001)[29]
- Sugaure (2002)[29]
- Red Vinyl (2003)[29]
- By Request (2004)[29]
- Boston to Beijing (2005)[29]
- On Top of the World (2007)[29]
- Christmas (2008)[29]
- Just One of Those Days (2009)[29]
- Something Beautiful (2010)[29]
- Twenty One (2012)[29]
- Original (2015)[29]
- 30K (2016)[29]
- March of the Kings (2019)[29]
- Something for the Rest of Us (2019)[29]
- One Note at a Time (2020)[29]
- Playlist (2020)[29]