Shannon Lyon

Shannon Lyon gained notoriety in his hometown of Kitchener (west of Toronto in the heart of southern Ontario), almost immediately after forming his first band, Strange Days, in 1989. Following one album and national touring (their east coast jaunt saw the fledgling Tea Party joining them as support act), they dissolved, with Lyon opting for a solo career. The ensuing five years saw him walk a line between acoustic troubadour and flat-out rocker, all the while continuing to build a loyal Canadian audience with each album.

In 1999, he signed with Toronto's Square Dog Records for Summer Blonde, the first album to fully display his newly-realized introspective songwriting style. The album went on to become a favourite among roots rock aficianados in Canada, and Lyon (accompanied by the World Record Players) spent the next year sharing stages with everyone from Blue Rodeo to Richard Buckner to Oh Susanna.In early 2001, Lyon made his first trip to Holland on the advice of fellow singer/songwriter Rob Lamothe. Acceptance was even more instantaneous than it had been in Canada, and by the end of the year, Lyon had signed to Dutch label Inbetweens Records, which released Dharma in Europe in March, 2002.The following year, he recorded Wandered in Holland, which attracted the attention of V2 Records back in Toronto. Lyon became the first Canadian artist to sign to V2 Records, joining the likes of The White Stripes, Paul Weller and Moby on V2's roster. More touring ensued, including Lyon's first trip to Australia, where his honest, straightforward approach instantly connected with audiences, leading to several thousand sales during his brief stay.

In 2004, Lyon helped start Canadian roots label, Busted Flat Records, and its first releases were live albums from his various worldwide tours. The first, Bound, was recorded in Holland; the second, Someday Mourning, in Germany. Although these are primarly solo acoustic outings, Lyon has not forgotten his rock roots, and continues to tour and record with his longtime band, the World Record Players. At present you can find Lyon somewhere around the globe supporting his new album Safe Inside released February 2006.

(shannonlyon.net)