Lajon Witherspoon

Lajon Witherspoon
Witherspoon during a Sevendust concert in May 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Lajon Jermaine Witherspoon
Born	(1972-10-03) October 3, 1972 Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres	Alternative metal, heavy metal, nu metal, hard rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, drums
Years active	1988-present
Labels	Asylum, 7 Bros.
Associated acts	Sevendust, Body & Soul

Lajon Jermaine Witherspoon (born October 3, 1972) is an American musician best known as the vocalist for the Atlanta-based alternative metal band Sevendust.

History

Lajon Witherspoon was born in Nashville, but grew up in Atlanta with his parents, along with his brother Reginald Ladon Witherspoon. Prior to getting into music, Witherspoon played football and wrestled for Norcross High School. He also practiced judo for a number of years, but eventually chose music over sports as his primary activity. Before his days in Sevendust, Witherspoon was the frontman of a soul group by the name of Body & Soul. In 1994, his group supported Snake Nation, a local rock group, at a gig. Impressed by his vocal abilities, Vinnie Hornsby and Morgan Rose asked Witherspoon to sing for their band. Guitarist John Connolly, the former drummer of the Piece Dogs, and Lee Banks joined them to form Rumblefish. The name was soon changed to Crawlspace. When the band's schedule proved too much for Banks, Clint Lowery from North Carolina's Still Rain replaced him. The band had to change their name again when a group on the west coast claimed the rights to it. Struggling with a new moniker, the members settled on Sevendust after Hornsby found a can of "Sevin Dust" (a pesticide) in his grandmother's garage.^[1]

Members from such bands as Staind, Seether, Alter Bridge, and Diecast have listed Witherspoon and Sevendust as musical influences. In March 2008, Witherspoon was recognized in Hit Parader as one of the "Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time". He was awarded number 35, placing over numerous famous rock vocalists such as Bret Michaels, Scott Weiland and David Bowie. Lajon Witherspoon has a wife, Ashley Witherspoon, and two daughters, Maya Diane and Jada Legend Witherspoon.^[2]

On Sunday, November 9, 2002, Lajon's brother, Reginald Witherspoon, was murdered. Lajon heard the news via a phone call from his father five minutes before the band's performance in St. Joseph, Minnesota. The singer was urged to go on with the show by his father, and those who attended the show appreciated the shaken Witherspoon going through with the scheduled performance. Afterwards, Witherspoon immediately left to attend to family matters.

Lajon Witherspoon has recorded a song titled "Ready to Go" for the NHRA's 10-song compilation, released on June 1, 2010.^[3] He has recently talked about recording a solo project after the end of the touring and promotion cycle for Sevendust's latest record, Black Out The Sun.^[4]

Discography

Sevendust

• Sevendust (1997)
• Home (1999)
• Animosity (2001)
• Seasons (2003)
• Next (2005)
• Alpha (2007)
• Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow (2008)
• Cold Day Memory (2010)
• Black Out the Sun (2013)

Other appearances

• NHRA Compilation 2010 - Various Artists - "Ready to Go" (2010)^[3]
• Moment of Impact - Eye Empire - "Victim (Of The System)" (2010) (Guest vocals)^[5]
• Truth Rising - Hed PE - "Stand Up" (2010)
• Fly 2 The Sun - Soulidium - "Fly 2 The Sun" (2011)
• No Amends - The Infinite Staircase - "The Things We've Done" & "Just To Meet You There" (October 15th 2013)

References

External links

• Lajon Witherspoon at the Internet Movie Database