He was born in Olive Branch, Mississippi, United States. He relocated with his family to Memphis, Tennessee at the age of eight. Despite initial misgiving from his Pentecostal parents, Shannon developed an interest in the blues and played part-time with several local bands, whilst his daytime occupation was with a hardware firm. He began a full-time musical career when he secured a spot in Shirley Brown's backing ensemble.
In 1993, his own Preston Shannon Band played at the Long Beach Blues Festival in Long Beach, California. After being spotted leading his own band in Memphis' Beale Street clubs, he signed to Rounder Records subsidiary, Bullseye Blues, and released his debut solo effort, Break the Ice in 1994. Then followed the Willie Mitchell produced efforts, Midnight in Memphis (1996) and All in Time (1999). However, with no immediate follow-up available, Preston lost momentum.
After moving to Title Tunes, he released Be with Me Tonight (2006).
Shannon played at Memphis in May in both 2008 and 2011. In February 2012, Shannon appeared on season two of The Voice, singing "In the Midnight Hour".
He was a regular performer at B.B. King's Blues Club in Memphis. Shannon's most recent album release was Dust My Broom (2014).
Allmusic noted that "Shannon's speciality is a blend of Southern-fried soul and blues, and his albums and live shows - always with a horn section - are an eclectic mix of danceable, grooving tunes and slow, soulful ballads".
Discography
Albums
Year Title Record label
1994 Break the Ice Bullseye Blues
1996 Midnight in Memphis Bullseye Blues
1999 All in Time Bullseye Blues
2006 Be with Me Tonight Title Tunes
2011 Goin' Back to Memphis Continental Blue Heaven
2014 Dust My Broom Continental Blue Heaven
Singles
Year Title Record label
1999 "Tired of the Ghetto Bringing Me Down" Bullseye Blues
Preston Shannon has been called the King of Beale Street for his longtime tenure playing the clubs along that Memphis byway. Soulful vocals and stinging guitar work make for an incredible live performer, who has been described as a cross between Otis Redding and Bobby Womack. But perhaps a comparison to the late Little Milton may be the most apropos since his styling of blues drenched with soul and R&B are much more akin with Milton’s. Shannon has released four albums, his latest titled Goin’ Back to Memphis (actually a re-release of his 2006 disc Be With Me Tonight) are all outstanding and he received three Grammy nominations for his 1999 release All In Time
Purple Rain
Preston Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted one time to see you laughing
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
I never wanted to be your weekend lover
I only wanted to be some kind of friend
Baby, I could never steal you from another
It's such a shame our friendship had to end
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple
Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing
It's time we all reach out for something new, and that means you too
You say you want a leave, but you can't seem to make up your mind
I think I'm gonna close it and let me guide you to the purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
The lyrics of Preston Shannon's "Purple Rain" express the singer's regret for causing any sorrow or pain to the person he is addressing in the song. He only wanted to see them laugh and be happy, particularly in the context of the Purple Rain. Although he is clear on the fact that he never intended to be anything more than a friend to the person, the singer acknowledges the "shame" that their friendship had to end. He also recognizes that times are changing and it is time to move on to something new. He seems to be encouraging this person to take that leap towards something new, even though they may feel uncertain or indecisive.
The use of the phrase "purple rain" in the song is likely a reference to Prince's 1984 hit of the same name. Prince was known for his influence on many musicians, and his song "Purple Rain" was particularly groundbreaking in its hybridization of rock, pop, and R&B. The repetition of "purple rain" throughout Preston Shannon's song could be an homage to that influence, but it could also be seen as significant given the color's symbolic association with royalty and grandeur. Additionally, the phrase "purple rain" might have a more metaphorical meaning within the song, representing a space of peace, contentment, and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I did not intend to cause you any sadness
I never meant to cause you any pain
I did not intend to cause you any discomfort
I only wanted one time to see you laughing
I just wanted to see you happy once
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
I just wanted to see you happy while it was raining
I never wanted to be your weekend lover
I never wanted a casual or temporary relationship
I only wanted to be some kind of friend
I just wanted to be a good friend to you
Baby, I could never steal you from another
I could never come between you and someone else
It's such a shame our friendship had to end
It is sad that our friendship had to come to an end
Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing
I know that things are changing
It's time we all reach out for something new, and that means you too
It is time for us all to embrace change, including you
You say you want a leave, but you can't seem to make up your mind
You say you want to go, but you are not sure
I think I'm gonna close it and let me guide you to the purple rain
I think I will let this be the end and guide you to a new and better place
Purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain
A repeated reference to a metaphorical 'purple rain'
I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain
I just wanted to see you happy while it was raining
Writer(s): Prince Rogers Nelson, Michel Jean Pierre Colombier Copyright: Controversy Music, Warner Olive Music LLC
Contributed by John N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.