Press Bio
Sean has been performing for kids and their adults since the mid 1990s at schools, libraries, festivals, theaters, and private events. He is a National Parent's Choice Award winner, a multi-instrumentalist, a singer, a songwriter, a member of the acclaimed Americana group The Lonetones, a musicology instructor at the University of Tennessee, and a teaching artist in the schools.
He is, in part, cut from the clothe of the likes of Pete Seeger and John McCutcheon with a passion for American folk music and a desire to play music that brings people together. He also loves rock 'n roll, world music, and writing his own songs.
His shows for young audiences range from deep dives into the hollers of Appalachia to trips around the world to romps through fun and educational original songs. While guitar and banjo are always on hand, you may also catch him playing mandolin, piano, dulcimer, jaw harp, hand drums, spoons, and more. His shows are participatory at every turn - whether it's singing or banging along, performing motions to go along with songs, or helping to make-up songs on the spot. And while you're having fun, he'll slip in some tidbits about the history of the instruments, the development of musical styles, and basic music education.
Sean has over twelve albums to his credit, including three records for kids. His most recent family recording, Earworm, won a National Parent's Choice Award, a National Parenting Products Award and received honorable mention from the national Fids and Kamily Music Awards. The album includes nine original songs, four covers, and appearances by Grammy-nominated Molly Ledford and well-known children's artist Billy Jonas.
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Sean...
• has performed since the early-90s at more schools in middle and east Tennessee than he can count.
• has performed for children at multiple festivals and theaters.
• has conducted residencies in schools all over middle and east Tennessee.
• is on the Tennessee Arts Commission's Teaching Artist Roster.
• is a national Parent's Choice Award winner (twice).
• performs and records with The Lonetones.
• created, produced and hosted the WDVX radio show Kidstuff for 14 years.
• has three children's albums, five albums with the Lonetones, and several other projects to his name.
• taught music as a visiting artist in all seven Jefferson County public pre-schools for several years.
• performs regularly for school groups at the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont.
• worked in schools for several years as part of the Jubilee Community Arts School Program.
• taught music and storytelling in Headstart classrooms as a participating artist with the Wolftrap Institute.
• taught music at Garden Montessori School.
• teaches musicology courses at the The University of Tennessee covering everything from music of Appalachia to rock ‘n roll to classical to world music.
• holds a masters degree in ethnomusicology with a focus on music of Appalachia.
• performed with the The John Myers Band for a decade.
• toured as the mandolin player with the Carpetbag Theatre play Between A Ballad and A Blues about Howard "Louie Bluie" Armstrong.
• has coordinated the music for the Louie Bluie Festival and Vestival.
• was the concert manager for the Laurel Theatre in the mid 90s.