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What do you suppose you would get if you mixed a handful of New Jersey, a pinch of France, and a couple of splashes of
England? You would be face to face with the charming Jon O’Shaughnessy. The self-proclaimed acoustic pop-rock
singer calls New Jersey home but don't let that fool you, a hint of the British-born singer's accent pokes through from time
to time but he jokes it off as self-defense from grade school teasing. "[I moved here] when I was in the fifth grade and after
a while I just got sick and tired of people asking me to say things because it was so cool and I just acclimated and learned
to speak with an American accent, and now it’s just an automatic switch; it goes on & off depending on who I’m talking to."
However, Jon is absolutely not ashamed of where he comes from, in fact, given the chance to meet anyone dead or alive
he admits he'd want to meet family. "[I would like to meet] my grandfather – my father’s father – I never got to meet him, or
I suppose both of his parents. I [would] like to ask them more about what they experienced. Because I know they lived
through the war and I [would] like to know what my father’s life was like when he was younger, and just get down to my
roots a little bit." Jon, like most everyone else, is no stranger to war. He won't ignore the issue of war. And rather than
choosing a side and spouting protests Jon took pen to paper and wrote a song for our soldiers. "What the song is about
is, I am trying to put myself in the shoes of someone over there, the young men and women who are fighting for us right
now. [The song is] not my opinion if we should or shouldn't be there but just what it’s like to be young and to be fighting.
Their fear and the adrenaline rush, and everything.”
Jon’s inspiration for his songs stems from everything. "I pretty much grow from everything, I’m very, very, very easily
inspired. You know a conversation with someone, certain things on the news, my love life."
Jon’s songs are soulful and hopeful. If you wanted to describe his music in one word it would be "diverse". He has also
been described as Dave Matthews and John Mayer mixed in a blender. I would describe him as someone that fully
deserves to be checked out and given a good listen to. And that’s all that he asks of people, too. "Give me a chance.
Listen to my music! Really listen to what I’m trying to say." So go to Jon’s My Space: myspace.com/jonoshaughnessy.
Listen to "Green Eyed Monster", "3 33" and "Smile". You may just find yourself falling in love with him.
England? You would be face to face with the charming Jon O’Shaughnessy. The self-proclaimed acoustic pop-rock
singer calls New Jersey home but don't let that fool you, a hint of the British-born singer's accent pokes through from time
to time but he jokes it off as self-defense from grade school teasing. "[I moved here] when I was in the fifth grade and after
a while I just got sick and tired of people asking me to say things because it was so cool and I just acclimated and learned
to speak with an American accent, and now it’s just an automatic switch; it goes on & off depending on who I’m talking to."
However, Jon is absolutely not ashamed of where he comes from, in fact, given the chance to meet anyone dead or alive
he admits he'd want to meet family. "[I would like to meet] my grandfather – my father’s father – I never got to meet him, or
I suppose both of his parents. I [would] like to ask them more about what they experienced. Because I know they lived
through the war and I [would] like to know what my father’s life was like when he was younger, and just get down to my
roots a little bit." Jon, like most everyone else, is no stranger to war. He won't ignore the issue of war. And rather than
choosing a side and spouting protests Jon took pen to paper and wrote a song for our soldiers. "What the song is about
is, I am trying to put myself in the shoes of someone over there, the young men and women who are fighting for us right
now. [The song is] not my opinion if we should or shouldn't be there but just what it’s like to be young and to be fighting.
Their fear and the adrenaline rush, and everything.”
Jon’s inspiration for his songs stems from everything. "I pretty much grow from everything, I’m very, very, very easily
inspired. You know a conversation with someone, certain things on the news, my love life."
Jon’s songs are soulful and hopeful. If you wanted to describe his music in one word it would be "diverse". He has also
been described as Dave Matthews and John Mayer mixed in a blender. I would describe him as someone that fully
deserves to be checked out and given a good listen to. And that’s all that he asks of people, too. "Give me a chance.
Listen to my music! Really listen to what I’m trying to say." So go to Jon’s My Space: myspace.com/jonoshaughnessy.
Listen to "Green Eyed Monster", "3 33" and "Smile". You may just find yourself falling in love with him.
Search StarShine
By Tamra Lemble
Talk with StarShine Readers
in the Chatbox Now!
in the Chatbox Now!
July 6, 2008
Originally released in print
issue Winter 2008
Originally released in print
issue Winter 2008