TONIC SOL FA

Appearing

Sunday, Feb. 5, at 1:30 p.m.
Loon Lake Community Center, Palo, MN
75th Annual Laskiainen
(tonicsolfa.com)

In their twelve years together, Tonic Sol-fa has established itself as the most in-demand vocal group in the Midwest, but also one of the most successful independent acts in America.

Tonic Sol-fa began at St. John’s University with Mark McGowan, who sings baritone, and lead vocalist Shaun Johnson, while both were attending in the mid 1990s. Tenor, Greg Bannwarth, and bass, Jared Dove, joined soon after, completing the quartet. The group has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and shared the stage with Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy and Lonestar, and were recently part of Garrison Keillor’s 30th Anniversary celebration of A Prairie Home Companion.

From the group’s onset, the four members have overseen and operated the business of Tonic Sol-fa with only a small team and have built it into a multi-million dollar company. The group had to overcome a number of obstacles, including an unspoken apprehension to a cappella acts by individuals in the music industry and having a name that was anything but catchy (a system of naming the notes of the scale, usually do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, developed to teach singing). Still, the group persevered, recording and

manufacturing its own records and selling them to a growing legion of fans via the Internet and social networking sites, in the lobby of the theaters where they performed, and through a growing national distribution.

At present, Tonic Sol-fa just released their eighth album, entitled “Something Beautiful” on the heels of their previous projects (Greatest Time of Year [DVD], Just One of Those Days, If I Can Dream [DVD], On Top of the World, Christmas [DVD], Boston to Beijing, By Request, Red Vinyl, Sugarue, Front Row [video], and Style). The recordings contain only four indelible voices and occasional percussion. This outstanding blend has resulted in multiple contemporary A cappella recording awards, NACA (National Association of Collegiate Activities) Entertainer of the Year nominations, considerable national press, and has landed their music on the bestselling seasonal DVD at Wal-Mart, The 12 Dogs of Christmas.

Tonic Sol-fa released their third television holiday special in 2010, which aired over 1800 times in 47 states and Canada. The new PBS special will be shown through 2013, continuing to spread Tonic Sol-fa's unique sound to an ever-growing audience.