(KNSI) — A well known a cappella group from central Minnesota will kick off its farewell tour where it all began.
The group was started by Cheston Lance, Greg Terhaar, Steve Smith, and Mark McGowan before adding Shaun Johnson to the lineup while they were students at St. John’s University. Tim Hoback also sang with the group for a time. The group would eventually become a quartet and remain that way for most of its existence. Today’s lineup includes Johnson, Greg Bannwarth, Jared Dove and Theo Brown.
Johnson told KNSI News that music was always in his heart, and after being introduced to the group, he decided to take a leap of faith. “I was actually going to go to law school. I really loved singing, but I honestly just didn’t grow up thinking there was a career in that. So I told my parents, hey, I’m going to drop out of law school, and I’m going to join this a cappella group. We’re giving it two years, and if we’re all still living together in a van eating Ramen, then, you know, we’ll give it up.”
After two years, the group’s popularity had them selling out bigger and bigger venues, and before long, they didn’t need to sleep in a van. Johnson says he remembers those early years fondly after more than 25 years on stage. “I don’t discount those first few years, because it was just, sitting in a van with your friends, but I think all the stuff from then on, like being signed to the major label stuff and the Hall of Fame stuff and all those crazy things, all of that kind of stuff happened later.”
Tonic Sol-Fa reached national prominence with appearances on NBC’s Today Show and in Newsweek magazine. Along the way, they shared the stage with performers including Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy and Lonestar, and were part of Garrison Keillor’s 30th-anniversary celebration of A Prairie Home Companion.
Tonic Sol-Fa’s sound will fill the Paramount Theatre on April 1st. Tickets will be available Thursday, February 13th at 10:00 a.m. during a special presale with the code TONIC. The general on sale date is Friday, February 14th at 10:00 a.m.
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