________________________________________________________________ Mem is a former 15-year Bourbon Street cab driver who's since released 6 albums worldwide (2 on Rykodisc, 2 on Shanachie,2 on Northern Blues). Mem Shannon & The Membership are from New Orleans and while their music is rooted in the blues, it's soaked through with that Big Easy syncopated sound, oozing with funk. They've played the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 15 years. Mem has won or been nominated for a ton of "Best Of" awards for Louisiana music and national blues - including several Blues Music Association(formerly W.C. Handy Award) nominations. Mem emerged onto the scene in 1996 with his first release, "A Cab Driver's Blues" on Hannibal/Rykodisc. The breakthrough buzz album led to national media coverage from folks like ABC World News, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, E! Entertainment Television, The New York Times, NPR and a much anticipated/celebrated performance at SXSW. Mem's 2001 release "Memphis In Morning included the song "S.U.V." The catchy rant against SUV's and their drivers became a mini-hit at blues radio, syndicated and specialty shows, and even a few Triple-A formats. It was named Song of the Year by Living Blues Magazine in 2002 and received a Handy(Blues Music Award) nomination for the same. Not to mention being added to NPR's great show "Car Talk" and one of their yearly compilations. Mem has shared bills with: Buddy Guy John Scofield Toots & The Maytals, Gov't Mule, Josh Kelley, Junior Brown, James Ingram, Mavis Staples, Blues Traveler, Kim Richey, Branford Marsalis, Paul Cebar & The Milwaukeeans, Buckwheat Zydeco, Walter Trout, Karl Denson, Taj Mahal, Galactic, Robert Cray and many more. He has toured consistantly and has played most of the premier blues and roots festivals (King Biscuit, Montreal Jazz Fest, Kansas City Jazz & Blues Fest, Monterey Bay Blues Fest, Kerrville Folk Festival...), while headlining clubs night after night across the US and into Canada, Europe and Australia. Mem and the band were also presented in Hong Kong by the House of Blues and in Venezuela by the U.S. Embassy, and was part of an all-star tribute to Muddy Waters at The Kennedy Center for a televised special for PBS and NHK/Japan. He has played the huge Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle featuring diverse bands like Nickleback, Nas, The Pixies and Koko Taylor. He also played the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, an event that includes B.B. King, Gov't Mule and Greg Allman. Mem Shannon's name and persona appear coincidentally in (2)two horror novels:"Fat White Vampire Blues"by Andrew Fox and "Bad Moon Rising" by Jonathan Mayberry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mem_Shannon **READILY AVAILABLE AND EASY TO FIND**