Episode 92- Music Great John Ellison

Our listeners are “Some Kind of Wonderful” so we thought it was time to treat you all to another Bonus Episode.

Last week we had the privilege of speaking with John Ellison. Name not sound familiar? Well, it should. He wrote and performed the beloved song Some Kind of Wonderful as part of the Soul Brothers Six. Not only was the sound an instant classic, it has since gone on to be one of the most recorded songs of all time with everyone from Huey Lewis and the News to Grand Funk Railroad to Joss Stone recording a version. Interestingly, almost all those recordings have been hits and almost all of them stay true to John’s original arrangement.

We spent time learning about John’s storied career and how that incredible composition came to be. We won’t spoil the story here, you’ll have to listen in to find out, but we will say this… if ever you’ve got a loved one preparing for a big road trip, we highly recommend you make them a sandwich.

John’s career far from stopped at Soul Brothers Six. He has spent the last four decades writing, recording and performing all over the world. He recently recorded and released a song called “Wake Up Call (Black Like Me). He wrote the catchy and poignant song back in 2003 but in light of the recent awareness and discussions that will hopefully lead to social change, he felt now was the perfect time to release it.

The song delves into what it’s like to be a black American and the brutality John and his family for generations have experienced. The song is heavy, yet optimistic and sends a message that will be on repeat in your head from your first listen on.

You may be thinking this topic is a little heavy for “Why?” and that’s fair, the subject is more serious than most of what we tackle. That said, John was positive, inspiring and spreading love and joy in every answer to every question. We promise you’ll feel good and inspired after listening to our talk.

Plus, he even sang for us, which is a treat you won’t want to miss. That said, he also somehow thought it would be a good idea to let us sing back up on a sneak peek to a song he has coming out soon. Let’s just say, Heidi and Luke will not likely be recording a duets album any time in the near future. Because we love to always let our guests see the ‘real’ us, we decided to open the show with that ditty. We’re not even going to apologize for it. Have a good laugh or fast forward until it’s over. Up to you. We will say, the song itself, “One Wish” is really beautiful so don’t judge it by our lack of talent, rhythm and ability to say no. When an incredible musician asks you to sing along, you never ever say no even if it’s brutal.

We know you’ll enjoy the rest of the interview and all the fascinating other things John has done in his career.

For more information on John’s work check him out on the links below.

Website: https://www.johnellisonmusic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnellisonmusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellison_music

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnellisonmusic/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6xVjeTaUEnEJiYsAxKs5ho?si=FoVwI2S-SR-iYWrImLJROw