Local 913, Episode 84: Ben Shannon
Local singer/songwriter Ben Shannon’s beginnings actually did not start in in Pittsburgh:
“I’m not an original Pittsburgher! I’m a transplant, but from the 70’s when my parents moved here from Nashville. I was born there and went to kindergarten there and then first grade in Pittsburgh. Both my parents left the South and moved to Pittsburgh for work. My dad was in the steel industry, in the R&D department and my mom was a nurse. We got here when the steel mills were being closed down, so my dad was unemployed a lot. Eventually The R&D department in one of the mills my dad worked in, bought all the equipment and started their own company. That’s how he stayed and my mom was a nurse anesthetist.”
Although Shannon generally plays guitar, it was not his first instrument:
“I started off on piano. My dad had guitars around and we always had a piano in the house. I’ve never felt quite at home without a piano in the house. The lessons didn’t work for me. I was learning by ear. I was able to sight read at a young age, but we never followed through with the lessons. But, I’ve been playing guitar since my freshman year in high school.”
That’s Ben Shannon, who’s new album Farewell Mountain is out now. For more on his music, go to benshannonmusic.com.
