ANIKO FORGO
Special to The Morning Star
Shawn Lightfoot is the founding member of The Shawn Lightfoot Band, also featuring members Dale Johnston, Julia Newton and Kevin Lane. Lightfoot is the lead vocalist and guitarist.
Q: How would you describe your music to somebody who hasn’t heard it before?
SL: “We cover a range of music that is wildly diverse and full of energy. The show kicks off with a special Neil Diamond tribute and then moves into a rapid-fire mix of classic rock, country, modern rock and current radio hits. We have a strong core belief that live music should be an authentic and engaging experience for everyone, including the band.”
Q: What was it like playing together as a band for the very first time?
SL: “The first couple of times we played together I think we all knew there was a special spark. That moment when you look at one another after playing a song and you just know. Dale, Kevin and I all shared some common musical ground, but at the same time we were pushing each other into musical areas outside of our individual comfort zones. That element still remains a driving force for us today, which makes it inspiring and keeps us on our toes.”
Q: What’s your best memory?
SL: “There’s so many great musical memories over the past few years; like the time we played a beach party and the beach was almost like a mosh pit. There were boat flotillas, dancers on boats, GoPro cameras passed around the crowd, a drone flying overhead to get video to the boats. It was nuts. That was a magical night.”
Q: How did you become interested in music?
SL: “My interest in music started as early as I can remember. Growing up, my parents played lots of different styles of music in the house. When I was about eight years old, I used to climb into a closet with an 8-track player to completely immerse myself into the song.
I vividly remember the day that I decided I wanted to play guitar. That moment was like a bolt of lightning and since then there was no turning back.”
Q: What’s something that most people don’t know about you?
SL: “Probably that deep, down inside I’m really quite introverted and shy. I think I’ve learned to become more extroverted through life experiences over the years. That being said, there is an indescribable sense of intimacy that still finds its way out from that underlying core when I’m putting it all out there in a performance.”
Q: What’s your favourite song currently?
SL: “Cake By The Ocean by DNCE.”
Q: Has anything inspired you lately?
SL: “A couple of things lately. The Band Perry did a version of Gentle On My Mind at the CMAs a year or two ago that blew me away. Also a YouTube clip of Lawrence Gowan performing Criminal Mind live with Styx. Gives me chills.”
Q: If you could sit down and chat with any person alive or dead, who would it be and why?
SL: “It might sound odd, but it would be Albert Einstein. He was such a visionary in so many ways. He’s just always fascinated me for some reason. He’d be so interesting to chat with.”
Q: What can we expect from you musically this year?
SL: “This is a really exciting year for us. Julia Newton, our wickedly talented bassist, recently joined the band and we have been working on getting set to roll out a lot of really fun and energizing new material. We hope to keep pushing our musical boundaries and come up with a few surprises along the way.”
Q: Do you have any upcoming shows?
SL: “Yes, we have a show coming up at The Green in Vernon Feb. 26 and 27. It’s a fantastic venue for live music and always makes for memorable shows. Show goes at 9:15 both nights.
Check out our Facebook page for news on upcoming shows.”
– Aniko Forgo is a Kalamalka Secondary School graduate and music enthusiast who conducts Q&As with Okanagan-based musicians. Her feature, Getting to Know, appears occasionally in The Morning Star.
