Singer-songwriter Cannon’s lyrics flow from his roots

Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.

The soulful tones of Chuck Cannon's vocals and guitar music will reverberate through the Monticello Opera House on Saturday, Oct. 2, starting at 8 p.m.
It's a homecoming of sorts for the Nashville-based country singer/songwriter/storyteller. Though born and raised in the low country of South Carolina, Cannon spent many a childhood summer around the head of the Wacissa River here in Jefferson County with relatives in the Boland branch of his family. He still returns to visit often, and for Saturday's concert, you might not find a performance venue closer to Cannon's musical roots.
His "Flies on the Butter" lyrics (recorded by Wynona Judd) recall the "old tin roof, leaves in the gutter, hole in the screen door big as your fist" of the Wacissa home of his grandmother, Ethel Boland. They echo experiences like his first kiss and a friend's firefly lamp that "can take you back to the place but can't take you back in time."
Summers in Wacissa included singing in the Pentecostal Holiness Church, which his grandmother, Boland founded.
"They used to stand me up and have me sing a special, with my Aunt Edna playing piano,” Cannon recalls. "Church, Jesus and God have been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the church, in the 'nurture and the admonition' of my dad's church in Myrtle Beach."
It's no surprise that spiritual experiences, perspectives and themes come through in many of his songs, including "If I Was Jesus," "Give God the Blues," "Jimmy Johnny and Jesus," "Oh My Lord," "Heaven," and "Whiskey Drinking Preacher."
In his youth, Cannon and his cousins often sat mesmerized by scary stories and tall tales told by his uncle, Wacissa native Charles Boland, which he would retell to his buddies. He continued cultivating his talent for "spinning yarns" into an art form that eventually became an integral part of his performances.
"People thought he was crazy for wanting to get into the music business," recalls Boland. "He's done well for himself, though. Everyone enjoys his songs and stories. I'm proud of him."
Cannon says he encountered many naysayers early on who couldn't see his dream becoming a reality.
"I just didn't believe them when they told me I couldn't do it. They couldn't see it, but I could see it."
Cannon doesn't identify any particular opportunity or event that turned his career from small-town strummings toward a worldwide audience.
"Every single day of my life, I thought, 'Am I gonna be what everyone else thinks I'm gonna be or what I want to be?'."
He encourages others to listen to their heart, listen to their maker, and follow the desire he believes God puts in their hearts.
Cannon can't remember a single day that he hasn't gotten up and worked on a song. His impressive list of successes certainly reflects this work ethic. Country superstar Toby Keith recorded many of his songs, including the hits "American Soldier" (2003) and "How Do You Like Me Now" (1999). John Michael Montgomery's recording of his song "I Love the Way You Love Me" (1992) was named Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. In 2007, Cannon was honored by Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) for having eight million broadcast performances, and recording artists worldwide have logged more than 25 million airplays of his songs.
Other mega-stars he's worked with range from pop artists Paul Carrack (Mike & The Mechanics, Squeeze and Ace) to folk rock's Shawn Mullins, Rodney Crowell and Antje Duvekot, to country artists George Jones, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and George Strait, to euro-pop super-group BoyZone and 80's rock superstar band NightRanger.
"Currently, I'm working with an amazing gospel artist, Russ Taff, making a new record," says Cannon.
His critically acclaimed solo music projects include "God Shaped Hole," "Love and Money" and "Symphony of Scars," and he's completed a spoken-word project called "True Stories and Other Lies: Volume One."
Music critic Jim Simpson of "No Depression: The Journal of Roots Music" calls Cannon "A masterful guitarist, his style ranged from bluesy to classical to Irish/folk, all completely compelling… Throughout the night, either singing or storytelling, Cannon often had the audience in the palm of his hand – the man is an extremely gifted artist."
Cannon is, first and last, a songwriter, and no one interprets a song like the writer of that song. His unique guitar style and engaging stories make for riveting live performances that will leave you wanting more.
Tickets for the Oct. 2 performance are $27 and can be purchased in advance from the Monticello Opera House through their website monticellooperahouse.org, by calling (850) 997-4242, or stopping by the office at 185 W. Washington St., Monticello. Tickets will also be available at the door the evening of the performance, while supplies last. The show starts at 8 p.m., and the lobby and cash/credit card bar will open at 7 p.m., serving beer, wine and cocktails.