Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience Reveal “This Old Man”
Suits. Edge. Energy. These three terms encompass Shaun Johnson and the Big Band Experience. Having toured with the likes of Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Aretha Franklin, New Kids on the Block, and Music Hall of Fame Inductees, this band (as their name states) has massive experience. Not only was their debut album “Capitol” ranked on the Billboard Jazz Chart at #5, but the group has also made appearances on a national level (NBC’s Today Show, Country Weekly and Newsweek, to name a few). The Big Band Experience’s ranging audience shows they cannot be tethered to one genre; their music transcends boundaries, rebels against the status quo and delivers a unique sound that has fans coming back for more.
Hailing from Saint Joseph, Iowa, Shaun Johnson recollects music being in his blood at a young age, where he and his younger sister would perform a cappella before they could even reach the microphone. After attending Saint John’s University, Johnson later moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he embarked on a phenomenal journey with a group called Tonic Sol-fa. From thereon, Johnson went on to sell close to 2 million albums with Tonic Sol-fa, becoming a nationally known vocal group, as well as Johnson becoming an Emmy-winning singer/songwriter.
Shaun Johnson’s new single, This Old Man, captures an emotion a lot of parents experience at one point or another: never wanting their child to grow up. The sound of children playing in the background, to the light, melodic lullaby on the track, Johnson takes his listeners down memory lane. He sings, “In my dreams you’re sleeping on my shoulder, Never getting older…There in Neverland…At the end of my story every time you’d say to me, I’ll never grow up Dad, I’ll never grow up.” Crafting a song that is relatable to all parents. Incorporating the sound of violin, tambourine, drums, and computer-generated sounds, similar to that of Owl Cities’ Fireflies, Johnson makes his song all the more relatable.
Channeling his experience raising daughters, this song came to be with Johnson wishing he had the ability to ensure his kids never grew up. In his words, “I have said to my daughters at one time or another, "Please, never grow up" to which they respond, "Yes, I'll never grow up." His personal experiences serve to create a relatable track to his audience, especially those who are parents.
Along with the release of his new single, This Old Man, fans should be on the lookout for the bands upcoming album, which drops on September 16th. Fans should also anticipate Johnson and The Big Band Experience’s first-ever PBS special, Spirit of the Season. Until then, the single, This Old Man, is available to stream on all digital outlets.