Shawn Mullins takes a stroll down memory lane with an intimate new performance of his Grammy-nominated breakthrough hit Lullaby — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Originally featured on his 1998 album Soul’s Core, Lullaby — updated here in a pro-shot video from his new release Live At The Print Shop — topped the Adult Top 40 Chart and featured actress Dominique Swain in its well-received video. In an exclusive interview with Live At The Print Shop, Mullins revealed the surprising connection between the hit and singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco.
“I saw Ani DiFranco the first time in 1997,” Mullins shared. “We drove down to Denver and we saw her and it blew my mind, so I started trying to do stuff… almost like a flamenco player. So I started experimenting with what I knew how to do with percussion on the guitar, as well as pull off some hammer-ons and things that I could make myself not get bored, basically.”
Specializing in folk rock, instrumental rock, adult alternative, and Americana music, Mullins was born in Atlanta, where he cultivated an interest in music in high school. He honed his craft in his college days as a solo acoustic musician and bandmaster of the military marching band — Mullins went to schol on an Army ROTC scholarship with an intention of possibly pursuing a military career. Although he quickly abandoned this notion in favour of songwriting, the contract nonetheless obliged him after graduation to serve a short term in the U.S. Army Reserve.
His critical breakthrough came with Lullaby, which became a radio and video hit, followed by All In My Head, featured on the hit sitcom Scrubs. This song was written after an e-mail was sent out by the producers of the new show searching for a theme song. Mullins wrote a demo and sent it in within 24 hours. Another single, Shimmer, was included on the soundtrack for Dawson’s Creek, and was also used in the promotional campaign during the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics. The song is still considered as the unofficial anthem of the games in Australia. In early 2002, he formed the supergroup The Thorns with Matthew Sweet and Pete Droge.
For its 25th anniversary, Shawn is revisiting the music of Soul’s Core by recording two new versions of the album, dubbed Soul’s Core Revival. This is not a remix or a remaster of the original, but rather brand-new recordings with new arrangements of the songs. One album will be new stripped-down solo performances — some on guitar, some on piano, and one a cappella — and the second will be a new studio recording with his band Soul Carnival.
Watch the live video for Lullaby above, check out Live At The Print Shop below, and follow Shawn Mullins on Facebook and Instagram.
