Marc Lee Shannon is a Rustbelt/North Coast Ohio songwriter and author with years of
midwest “fall down, get up, dust off, and do it again” determination. A champion of
everyday heroes, his soulful, melodic music chronicles the struggles and redemption
of the lost, the found, the deserted, and the delivered.
As a veteran studio and touring guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, Shannon’s over
30-year career has taken him from his hometown of Akron, Ohio, to Los Angeles,
Nashville, New York, and back again. He left home at 19 to attend the Guitar Institute
of Hollywood, after which he quickly found himself playing with many of Los Angeles's
top country, rock, and soul artists.
After 11 years of road trips, rest stops, sessions, and performances, Shannon returned
home to start a new career chapter as a Corporate Executive in the Pro Audio
industry. There, a friend connected him with Northeast Ohio’s favorite son, Michael
Stanley, sparking a musical partnership, decades-long mentorship, and friendship.
Following his contribution to Stanley’s 1996 album Coming Up for Air, Shannon
became a member of his band, The Resonators, one of Ohio’s top-drawing acts. He
performed with the group for more than 25 years, co-writing songs, adding vocals,
and providing electric, acoustic, baritone, 12-string guitar accompaniment, and
mandolin for live shows and on 22 albums. In turn, Stanley produced Shannon’s first
solo record, Any Ordinary Man, in 2007.
In 2018, Shannon stepped into the limelight as a solo artist to release Walk This Road,
musically directed by Ryan Humbert of the Americana band The Shootouts. The album
showcases Shannon’s musical diversity at its finest. From the energetic title track to
the country-tinged “If We Quit Now” to the emotional “Count Me In,” listeners sense
Shannon’s passion for the experiences of the left behind, invisible, and overlooked.
Shannon has also collaborated with other Northeast Ohio artists, including The
Shootouts, The Vindys, and JD Eicher, on his singles “Friend Like You” and “Let It Go.”
Since 2021, he has opened for nationally-acclaimed artists such as The Wallflowers,
Pat Benatar, Blue Oyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, and more.
In November 2021, he released Lucky 7, a collection of “fun, funky, pandemic-born
songs” that features a nine-piece band. The album effortlessly blends Shannon’s
musical and lyrical artistry with his southern soul influences, from the heartfelt lyrics
of “Leave on the Light” to a gritty cover of Bad Company’s “Rock Steady” to “Deacon
of Blues,” which gives pointed shout-outs to legends such as B.B. King and Stevie Ray
Vaughn.
Lucky 7 is about more than simply the music, however. Shannon also released the
album to celebrate his passion for advocating addiction recovery.
“Seven years ago, I had a sense that I could have a better life,” Shannon writes in the
Lucky seven-liner notes. “I was broken, beaten, and lost with no faith in my future. I
got another chance to live through medical treatment and the miracle of a healing
community.”
Outside of songwriting, Shannon used the time off the stage during the pandemic to
turn his recovery journey into something more than songs about getting sober: he
wrote a book. In November 2022, he released !"#$%&'(%")*+,$-./&01&2"3%)$1&"4&
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The book, which debuted on the eighth anniversary of Shannon’s sobriety, is a
collection of essays originally published in The Devil Strip between July 2019 and
August 2021 as part of Shannon’s monthly !"#$%&'(%")*+,$-.&column.
It explores his path to long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and
Mental Health Issues (MHI), showcasing the practices, beliefs, and words of strength
that have shaped his sobriety and the unique experience of walking this road during a
time of uncertainty and grief.
To celebrate its release, Shannon headlined the 2022 My Recovery Day Jam on
November 12 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, featuring sober
musicians sharing their messages of hope.
In February 2022, he received his certification as a Peer Recovery Supporter
(OhioMHAS CPRS). Shannon also works in the Northeast Ohio community to serve as
living evidence that recovery is possible. He works as a weekly volunteer at regional
treatment and detox wards and sits on the County of Summit ADM Board along with an
advisory position for Judge Joy Malek Oldfield’s Turning Point Program for the Summit
County. Shannon plays solo, with a trio, or a full rocking band in shows that feature
songs from his catalog, along with occasional smart and stylish covers of songs that—in
his own words—are "pull over to the side of the road" favorites.
Marc Lee Shannon: Marc Lee Shannon
Bookings Contact: Diane Wisner, MLS Music Inc. wisnerdiane@gmail.com