SHAWN PHILLIPS
CSPS debut | A guitarist, songwriter, singer and sitar player, Shawn Phillips' career stretches across nearly five decades — and critics and audiences are still wondering how to categorize his music.
Diehard fans of the Texas-born troubadour have followed his evolution from the early days in Haight-Ashbury and Greenwich Village, to London and Italy and, most recently, South Africa. During the 60s and 70s, when music innovators and experimenters conjoined folk, rock, and music from the Middle East, Shawn Phillips always seemed to be one step ahead of the crowd as an early adopter, constantly looking beyond his own musical horizon.
Hence it was that Shawn and George Harrison discovered the sitar together, showing each other the basics and nuances of the Indian instrument. Hence he was on hand to help a young Joni Mitchell learn how to play guitar. Hence he found himself, around the same time, sharing a London flat with talented roommates Donovan and Paul Simon. In fact, he sang and performed on Donovan's Sunshine Superman, and was later invited by Paul McCartney to sing backup vocals on Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. He performed at the legendary Isle of Wight festival and was the original choice to play the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar. (He had to withdraw from the production due to touring commitments.)
Since his days as a pioneer rock balladeer, Phillips has been known for his wizardly skills on the 12-string guitar. His incredible three-octave vocal range continues to stop listeners in their tracks. The song that's been called his masterpiece, “She Was Waiting For Her Mother At the Station in Torino and You know I Love You Baby But It’s Getting Too Heavy To Laugh,” shows his voice hovering gently in baritone before it soars into the far reaches of countertenor.
Shawn has 18 albums to his credit. His album Second Contribution sold in the multi-millions. Four others — Faces, Bright White, Furthermore and Do you Wonder  — placed in the Billboard Top 100. His singles “Lost Horizon” (with Burt Bacharach), “We," and “Woman” charted in Billboard’s Top 40.
For these accomplishments and others, Universal Music honored Phillips with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. His album No Category was released that same year, featuring contributions from his long-time collaborators Paul Buckmaster and Peter Robinson.
Today Shawn lives in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where he divides his time between writing, touring, and volunteering as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and firefighter.
Sat Mar 1 | 8 pm
CSPS | 1103 Third St SE | Cedar Rapids
$20 advance | $23 day of show

Ticket info
Go to artist's Web site
Click here for a downloadable flyer (PDF)
Back to calendar