Born and raised in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia, Shannon has been performing since she was 10 years old, and is currently one of the most sought-after fiddlers in Atlantic Canada.

Shannon studied music at the renowned Humber College music program in Toronto, and after graduating joined the Scottish group ‘The Paul McKenna Band’. She toured internationally with the group for three years. This included international performances in Canada, The US, England, Scotland, Germany and the Netherlands. This also included a year contract at Walt Disney World’s Epcot.

Some of Shannon’s past performances include being featured with Cirque Du Soleil and the Chieftains in Canada, as well as several performances as a soloist with Symphony Nova Scotia. She has also been a featured performer at the ‘Music City Roots’ series at the Bluegrass Underground concert series in Nashville.

Shannon has released four studio albums, ‘The Irwin Lake Sessions’, ‘If All the Young Ladies’ (recorded in Glasgow, produced by Paul McKenna) and ‘Watchmaker’ (produced by Shannon). Her latest album ‘Watchmaker’ is a concept album based off the painting ‘The Watchmaker of Switzerland’ by Normal Rockwell and features traditional and original music. In 2016 Shannon won ‘Roots Traditional Album of the Year; and ‘New Artist recording of the year’ at the Music Nova Scotia Awards for her album ‘If All the Young Ladies’, which was also up for two ECMA’s, as well as two Canadian Folk Music Awards. Her third album ‘Watchmaker’ was also nominated for a Music Nova Scotia award, as well as a Canadian Folk Music Award. Shannon’s latest album ‘20 summers’ is an instrumental duo recording alongside her father Tony, celebrating the 20 plus years they’ve been playing music together. This album recently won an East Coast Music Award for ‘Instrumental Album of the Year’.

In 2017, Shannon toured as the fiddler for Joel Plaskett’s ‘Solidarity’ tour with his father Bill, and has also performed as a side musician for Lennie Gallant, Jimmy Rankin, Port Cities, The Ennis Sisters, Kim Dunn and many more.

As a composer and producer Shannon has arranged music for the Eastlink show ‘Slainte’ as well as having composed music for CBC’s show ‘Land & Sea’. As a producer Shannon has been hired to work on albums for other musicians, such as producing Jeremy Finney’s album ‘Tip the Bottle’ and Ellen Gibling’s upcoming solo harp album.

Shannon can also be found all around North America playing at many Irish Dance competitions (feises) and is a featured musician on the well known ‘Feis App’.

For five years, Shannon was the owner of the very successful music school the ‘Lydian School of Music’ in Dartmouth, and was the recipient of the 2019 Music Nova Scotia ‘Educator of the Year’ award. Shannon has been an instructor at many festivals and workshops across North America, and is currently designing a series of educational fiddle books for kids & adults.

Shannon recently performed as the first violinist for the world premiere of ‘Tell Tale Harbour’ at the Charlottetown Festival starring Alan Doyle.