The group, formed in 2016 by Scheller and Scott Lockhart while on hiatus from Billboard charting alt-rock act Save The Radio, finds a collection of fun-loving pranksters, music & movie nerds and family guys who met in high school (Shawn & Scott), the mall (Shawn & Ric Santiago: Sax,percussion), a bus-stop (Shawn & bassist Junni B) and others kindly permanently borrowed from other bands, Mateo Oliv
o (of Dosage) on lead guitar and Aidan Cain (Radio Child) on keyboards. SS&TC (for short) site artists like Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Hall and Oates, INXS and Doobie Brothers and templates for musical success. Their unique brand of entertainment fuses vocal harmonies and soulful horn lines with high energy performances honoring the integrity of the original artist that will drive you to dance, consume adult beverages, reminisce and hug your friends .Now hailed as 'Florida's most dangerous dance-rock n' soul band ' by Fans and Critics, Shawn Scheller & The Contenders have performed over 1000 shows and have had the pleasure of opening for iconic bands Bryan Adams, Rob Thomas, REO Speedwagon, Eddie Money, Panic! at the Disco, Pearl Jam, Billy Joel, Muse, Duran Duran, Neon Trees, Saigon Kick, 3 Doors Down and many more. "There are 6 bands you should know in Tampa/St Pete right now, Shawn Scheller & The Contenders is high on that list" -TheBurg- Currently, the band is working on a new single called "Ghost on the Inside " that they plan to release in May 2021. For updates, you can follow the band on social media: https://www.facebook.com/SSandTC , on Twitter, and on Instagram. Shawn Scheller & The Contenders are:
Ric Santiago – Sax, Wind Synth, Piccolo, Percussion, Vocals
Mateo Olivo – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Scott Lockhart – Lead, Backing Vocals, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards
Junni B. – Bass Guitar, Hype Man, BV’s
Aidan Cain– Keyboards,Piano, Synth, Guitar
Shawn Scheller – Lead Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars
Stax/Motown/Island/K-Tel/Apple/A&M & Rhino with a bit of Factory,Sub-Pop,Decca,Chess,Atlantic and Scotti Bros... If you know what that means than we're the band for you. Performing songs by artists such as:
***singer/songwriters***
Elton John
Billy Joel
John Mayer
Tom Petty
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Otis Redding
Van Morrison
Paul Simon
Sam Cooke
Bruce Springsteen & The E. Street Band
Rod Stewart
Phil Collins
Peter Gabriel
Lionel Ritchie
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
George Harrison
Bob Dylan
Glen Frey
Don Henley
Elliot Smith
Eric Clapton
James Taylor
Leonard Cohen
Dean Martin
Frank Sinatra
Jeff Buckley
Ray Montagne
Tracy Chapmen
Sheryl Crow
Bill Withers
Alanis Morrisette
Stevie Wonder
***Retro 80's***
Simple Minds
Prince
The Police
Genesis
Talking Heads
Duran Duran
Thompson Twins
Blondie
Cheap Trick
Men At Work
Psychedelic Furs
U2
OMD
Depeche Mode
Eurythmics
The Cure
The Pretenders
The Cars
Michael Jackson
Hall & Oates
Tears For Fears
George Michael
Bryan Adams
Def Leppard
Whitesnake
***90's***
Nirvana
Alanis Morrisette
Soundgarden
Pearl Jam
The Pixies
Edwin McCain
Matchbox Twenty
Bush
Collective Soul
Live
Better Than Ezra
Oasis
Coldplay
Radiohead
Travis
Blur
Sheryl Crow
Foo Fighters
3 Doors Down
Green Day
Blink-182
Backstreet Boys
N'Sync
Britney Spears
TLC
Bell Biv Devoe
Blackstreet
Montell Jordan
Outkast
***70's****
Bee-Gees
Temptations
O'Jays
Stevie Wonder
Fleetwood Mac
Commodores
Earth, Wind & Fire
Doobie Brothers
ZZ Top
Chicago
America
Journey
Foreigner
ELO
Supertramp
David Bowie
Eagles
Yacht Rock, Classic Country, Motown Soul, Classic Dance Music and Today's biggest hits from Top 40 such as Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers, Ellie Goulding, Katy Perry, 21 Pilots and more....
