Hailing from the outskirts of Brisbane, Shanon Watkins is a stocky, tattooed, red-haired, left-handed bloke; not quite the picture that first comes to mind when you think singer-songwriter. But sing and song-write he does, with a positive and enthusiastic approach that conveys a disarming honesty. Shanon’s infectious pop-rock songs along with his rich and gritty vocals always tell a compelling story.
For years Shanon has been gaining momentum performing publicly and experimenting with live performances in the local pub scene in Brisbane. He has played in the blues circles at Bluesfest and alongside Ash Grunwald, within Country circles at Tamworth and CMC Ipswich and alongside Aussie Rock greats such as the Choirboys and Darryl Braithwaite. His explosive performances are backed by the Shanon Watkins Band, featuring Jeremy Taylor (lead guitar), Jamie Mac (Harp) and Lewis Bell behind the drum kit. As the guys themselves put it: “think of our sound as if Jack Johnson met Ben Harper at a Pearl Jam concert!”
Shanon Watkins’ first single from his forthcoming album was “SunnySide Up” was released in 2017. The catchy upbeat song received positive feedback and support from local media. Next up, his single ‘Secret Love of Tay Tay’ was a tongue-in-cheek tribute to pop star Taylor Swift with a super kooky film clip featuring cutting edge digital animation that premiered with Scenestr. The final single ‘We Lived’ will be released October 5 followed by his debut album ‘Everything I Have’ on November 9.
Shanon’s musical journey started in an unexpected place; during his working and boarding adventure in the ski fields in Canada. When heartbreaking news arrived that his home in Australia had been lost when Brisbane suffered through one of its worst floods in recent memory Shanon returned to his shell of a home. Finding friends and family also having lost their homes gave Shanon a new outlook on life. He started chasing another passion: fighting as a Muay-Thai kick-boxer around Australia.
Life was exciting and life was good, but music was seemingly forgotten during his hectic training schedule. While recovering after winning his last fight, Shanon realised he wanted to be behind his guitar and chasing his dream of performing and creating music. The years of travelling, the real world experiences, the Muay-Thai life and his small rural upbringing, helped craft the story-telling and art that are the Shanon Watkins songs of today. Find out more about Shanon Watkins and his band at: www.shanonwatkins.band