Don Shinn

Who is Don Shinn?

Don Shinn is an English keyboard player, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and vocalist. He is known primarily as an organist and pianist, and also plays vibraphone. In the early-mid 1960’s he recorded and performed with British Beat groups The MeddyEVILS, The Echoes, and The Soul Agents. In 1967 he formed his own band The Shinn, which also featured future Uriah Heep bassist Paul Newton, future drummer for The Nice Brian "Blinky" Davison, and vocalist Eddie Lamb. In 1969 he released two instrumental albums, ‘Departures’, and ‘Temples With Prophets’. He was a member of the English band Dada and appears on their eponymous album released in 1970. He has also worked with Kiki Dee, James Taylor, Engelbert Humperdinck, Stan Tracey, Persian vocalist Parvaneh Farid, Iguana, and Renaissance. He is cited as a pioneer within the progressive rock movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and has been acknowledged by British keyboardist/composer Keith Emerson as a major influence. Uriah Heep bassist Paul Newton has also credited Shinn as a mentor and teacher. As of January 2012, unconfirmed reports indicate that Shinn is still musically active and based in the Southampton area of the UK.