Lajon Witherspoon

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Lajon Witherspoon
Sevendust-Lajon Witherspoon 2010-05-23 photoby-Adam-Bielawski.jpg
Witherspoon in 2010
Background information
Born (1972-10-03) October 3, 1972 (age 51)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1988–present
Member of Sevendust
Formerly ofBody & Soul
Website Lajon Witherspoon on Facebook OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Lajon Jermaine Witherspoon [1] (born October 3, 1972) is an American singer best known as the lead vocalist of Atlanta-based rock band Sevendust.

Contents

Members from bands such as Staind, Seether, Alter Bridge, and Diecast have listed Witherspoon and Sevendust as musical influences. In March 2008, Witherspoon was ranked at number 35 in Hit Parader's "Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time". [2] [3]

Early life and career

Lajon Witherspoon was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia with his parents, along with his brother Reginald Ladon Witherspoon. Witherspoon's father was a singer in a funk band when his family lived in Nashville. [4] Before getting into music, Witherspoon played football and wrestled for Norcross High School. He also practiced judo for a number of years, but eventually chose music over sports as his primary activity. [5] Growing up, Witherspoon listened to Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy, Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder. [6]

Before his days in Sevendust, Witherspoon was the frontman of a funk band, Body & Soul. [7] In 1994, his group supported local band Snake Nation at a gig. Impressed by his vocal abilities, Vinnie Hornsby and Morgan Rose asked Witherspoon to sing for their band. Guitarist John Connolly, the former drummer of the Piece Dogs, and Lee Banks joined them to form Rumblefish. The name was soon changed to Crawlspace. When the band's schedule proved too much for Banks, Clint Lowery from North Carolina's Still Rain replaced him. The band had to change their name again when a group on the west coast claimed the rights to it. Struggling with a new moniker, the members settled on Sevendust after Hornsby found a can of Sevin (an insecticide powder) in his grandmother's garage. [8]

On Saturday, November 9, 2002, Lajon's brother Reginald (age 23) was fatally shot in Nashville, Tennessee. Lajon heard the news from his father just minutes before the band's performance in St. Joseph, Minnesota. His father urged him to go on with the show and dedicate it to Reginald. Sevendust had postponed all shows until November 15 where they performed in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. [9]

Lajon Witherspoon recorded a song titled "Ready to Go" for the NHRA's 10-song compilation, released on June 1, 2010. [10] He talked about recording a solo project after the end of the touring and promotion cycle for Sevendust's ninth record, Black Out the Sun . [11] He has released three singles called "Love Song," "Black or White," and a cover of "Chainsmoking" originally performed by Jacob Banks In regards to "Love Song," Lajon said, "I think it resonates with what's going on in the world today," says Lajon Witherspoon regarding the inspiration of the song. [12]

Personal life

Witherspoon has a wife, Ashley; two daughters, Maya Diane and Jada Legend; and a son, Kingston. [13]

Discography

Other appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sevendust</span> American metal band

Sevendust is an American alternative metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group. Following a few name changes, the members settled on the name Sevendust and released their self-titled debut album on April 15, 1997, which sold only 310 copies in its first week but ultimately achieved gold certification through touring and support from their label, TVT Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Rose</span> American drummer

Morgan Jay Rose is an American drummer and a founding member of Atlanta-based rock band Sevendust. He is also responsible for much of the background vocals. He has also played drums for Call Me No One and Methods of Mayhem. Rose is vice president of Imagen Records.

<i>Sevendust</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Sevendust

Sevendust is the debut studio album by American rock band Sevendust, released on April 15, 1997, through TVT Records.

<i>Seasons</i> (Sevendust album) 2003 studio album by Sevendust

Seasons is the fourth studio album by American rock band Sevendust. It would be the band's final album with TVT Records and was dedicated to the memory to both Dave Williams who died of cardiomyopathy in August 2002, and Reginald Witherspoon who was murdered in November 2002.

<i>Southside Double-Wide: Acoustic Live</i> 2004 live album by Sevendust

Southside Double-Wide: Acoustic Live is the first live album by American rock band Sevendust. It is a live recording of the band's September 12, 2003, performance at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, Georgia. It includes a bonus DVD with the entire album performed live, and also comes in a special cardboard package that includes a set of lithographed pictures of the show.

<i>Next</i> (Sevendust album) 2005 studio album by Sevendust

Next is the fifth studio album by American rock band Sevendust. It was released on October 11, 2005, a little over two years after their previous album, Seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clint Lowery</span> American musician

Clint Edward Lowery is an American musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a guitarist and backing vocalist in the rock band Sevendust. He has also played in Dark New Day and Still Rain, and served as the touring guitarist for Korn and Seether through most of 2007 and 2017, respectively. In 2008, he decided to work on new music as a solo artist, and the name of the project was titled Hello Demons Meet Skeletons. Lowery wrote and recorded a six-song EP while off the road with Sevendust, just for a week. He played every instrument on the CD, which was produced by his brother Corey Lowery. The EP, Chills, was released in October, followed by a tour at the same month. He would also later release two more EPs with HDMS. Also his fourth and last EP, Choices, was released in 2013.

<i>Alpha</i> (Sevendust album) 2007 studio album by Sevendust

Alpha is the sixth studio album by American rock band Sevendust. The album was released on March 6, 2007. It is the band's second album featuring Sonny Mayo on rhythm guitar and the first with him as part of the writing process. Alpha is also the first album by the band to be released under the Warner-affiliated Asylum Records, making Sevendust the first metal/rock band on that label. The tracks "Driven" and "Feed" were featured on the video game, WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel's Son</span>

"Angel's Son" is a song written by Clint Lowery and Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust and performed by Witherspoon, fellow Sevendust members and ex-Snot band member Sonny Mayo, for the post-mortem compilation CD in honor of Snot founding vocalist James Lynn Strait known as Strait Up.

<i>Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow</i> 2008 studio album by Sevendust

Chapter VII: Hope & Sorrow is the seventh studio album by American rock band Sevendust, and the last to feature guitarist Sonny Mayo who was replaced by original guitarist Clint Lowery before the release of the album. It was released on April 1, 2008, through the band's own 7 Bros. Records, in conjunction with Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. The album features guest appearances by Chris Daughtry (Daughtry), Myles Kennedy, and Mark Tremonti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prodigal Son (Sevendust song)</span> 2008 single by Sevendust

Prodigal Son is the first single by American rock band Sevendust from their seventh studio album Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow and was written by vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and drummer Morgan Rose. The song premiered on Active and Mainstream Rock radio on February 10, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Past (Sevendust song)</span> 2008 single by Sevendust featuring Chris Daughtry

"The Past" is the second single from the Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow album produced by the American rock band Sevendust. This power ballad, with lead vocals from Lajon Witherspoon and featuring guest vocals by lead vocalist of the band Daughtry, Chris Daughtry, is a bit of a departure for the band, falling more into the post-grunge category than what fans have come to expect from Sevendust. "Sorrow", another song found on Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow, is similar in tone and also contains guest vocals, this time by Myles Kennedy.

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<i>Black Out the Sun</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Sevendust

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decay (Sevendust song)</span> 2013 single by Sevendust

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picture Perfect (Sevendust song)</span> 2013 single by Sevendust

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References

  1. ↑ "AGGRESSION". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hit Parader's Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists of All Time" Archived September 8, 2019, at the Wayback Machine . Hit Parader. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists". Sputnikmusic. December 1, 2006. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ Charles (2000). "Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust". Rolling Stone. Vol. 837.
  5. ↑ Glenesk, Matthew (December 22, 2010). "Music as the Falcons' secret weapon". ESPN. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Sevendust's Lajon Witherspoon: 10 albums that changed my life". Louder. June 30, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Sevendust's Lajon Witherspoon: "I try to make my metal as soulful as I possibly can"". Louder. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Sevendust Biography". Sing365.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2010.
  9. ↑ iconoclast entertainment group. "musicNEWS Nov 2002: Sevendust Frontman's Brother Murdered, Police Issue Statement". antiMUSIC. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Sevendust Front-Man Streams Solo Song "Ready To Go"" Archived June 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine rawkpit.com. Retrieved on May 27, 2010.
  11. ↑ "SEVENDUST Frontman Reveals Plans For Solo Project". Alternativeaddiction.com. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  12. ↑ "SEVENDUST Frontman Releases Solo Single, 'Love Song'". September 4, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Sevendust Goes For "Human Beehive" Look In New Video – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. August 11, 1999. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Earthside – A Dream In Static (Full Album)". Youtube. Earthside. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Sevendust Frontman To Guest On New (Hed)P.E. Album – Blabbermouth.net". October 9, 2010.
  16. ↑ "News & Headlines". eyeempire.com. July 7, 2010.
  17. ↑ Wiggins, Keavin (May 29, 2021). "Daughtry and Lajon Witherspoon Tribute Chris Cornell With 'Hunger Strike' Cover". Antimusic. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
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