For Shane Jacob Philips the last two years has proven to be a tremendously rewarding. With the completion of a coast to coast USA tour culminating at the 2014 San Francisco Folk Festival, Philips used that momentum to further his career and was eventually blessed with the opportunity in 2015 to sing with his musical inspiration Stevie Wonder as part of the cast ensemble for the concert finally at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. This once in a lifetime experience was followed up with a one on one meeting between Philips and Wonder where the main topic of discussion was the state of the world. A year later Philips would form Band of People, a shared vision for peace and harmony expressed through music.
A child of farm town Fergus Ontario, Philips is slowly making a stand in the music industry all the while singing songs of hope and change as witnessed by audiences across North America. This past summer Philips was asked to sing one of his original compositions at the official rally held downtown Philadelphia during the Democratic Convention to protest the side lining of Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. To a crowd in the thousands, Philips' song proved "powerful and inspiring" as one youth supporter put it and the single "Heart of America" is now scheduled to be released early next year.
Philips’ singing earned him a spot on the NBC show “The Voice” and was eventually cast off from the show because producers officially said he was "too soulful". Philips deemed it a major compliment and used it as a guide in his path forward.
His prolific songwriting is proving to break down barriers while reaching people of all stripes. Life experience is what has shaped his music and his connection to our world. After the death of his father, Philips tumbled fast a furious into an abyss where he found himself heart broken from the breakup of a seven year relationship, bankrupt and in jail. The universe would eventually bale him out with a job that eventually proved more than a paycheck. It was the vocation of working with homeless youth not very much younger than him. Life experience would prove indispensable. Two years later Philips’ caught his wave to Africa where his travels would complete his father’s wish at the top of Kilimanjaro. Frostbite from that summit would not hold Philips back. He would return to North America with a sense of urgency. His music would have to be relevant to himself before anyone else. His actions would have to speak louder than words.
On a cold winters day in February, Philips sat alone on the statutory holiday of Family Day. Years of words and inaction eventually inspired him to makeshift a picket sign and do his first “Walk For Water” from the front door of his mothers place to Nestle Head Quarters 7km down the road. This lonely action would eventually inspire people from all walks of life to walk with him time and time again on “Walks For Water” including one he initially did by himself 102km straight over 29 hours to the provincial capitol to deliver a message from his community that "water is life” and a human right and should not be traded as a commodity.
Philips is described as a singer who’s voice sounds beyond his years and yet his message is of someone that is from the future. He asks us to look inward and act outward with the idea that love is the universal fabric that holds humanity together.
“Social Justice & Peace" is a collection of stories that take the essence of the artist’s soul heritage and weaves it perfectly into a folk narrative. Add a distinctly sonorous richness of voice, the ability to write inspiring lyrics and sharply precise melodies - the combination quite simply hits the spot.”
—Tim Carroll, Folk Words UK
“Shane Philips is an awe-inspiring songwriter/musician whose songs carry a boatload of meaning. What made this such a special album to listen to is the fact that every song is filled with lyrical substance. Musically, this EP is a folk music fan's dream.”
—Shaine Freeman, I am entertainment USA