Keynote Speaker: Tonic Sol-fa

Tonic Sol-fa

Tonic Sol-fa
Keynote Fee:
$7,500*
*Fee Note

Tonic Sol-fa Travels From: MN

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Biography

In their ten years together, Tonic Sol-fa has established itself not only as the most in-demand vocal group in the Midwest, but also as one of the most successful independent acts in America. The four members (Mark McGowan, Greg Bannwarth, Shaun Johnson, and Jared Dove) have overseen and operated the business of Tonic Sol-fa by themselves, and you could say they gained their current consumer popularity the old fashioned way: they earned it. Tonic Sol-fa had to overcome a number of obstacles, including an "unspoken" apprehension to a cappella acts by individuals in the music industry. Still, the group persevered, recording and manufacturing its own records, selling them to a growing legion of fans via the Internet and in the lobby of the theaters where they performed.

By early 2006, Tonic Sol-fa had already sold over 1,000,000 copies of three traditional pop records and two Christmas collections. None of these had real distribution to any retail stores. The group has also toured extensively throughout the US and abroad, first building its financial base with a steady list of private, corporate shows that led eventually to numerous tours of theaters and small arenas.

Now, with the release of the group's first national CD, "Boston To Beijing," and their first public television special "Christmas" Tonic Sol-fa is positioned to become one of the few pure vocal acts to cross over to mainstream audiences as a truly unique and innovative contemporary music act.

"As we have moved away from doing covers and are now focusing more on original music, our goal is to step out and break away from everyone who is doing traditional a cappella material," says Shaun Johnson. And while the group has looked to acts like The Nylons, Take 6, and others, Tonic Sol-fa plans to take this music in a different direction, creating their own niche both commercially and artistically.

The group uses multiple alternative marketing methods, such as TV concerts, direct to consumer emails, and fan listening parties similar to the old "Tupperware parties" from years ago, in order to help market the band and the new CD.

Says Jared Dove: "We are grateful to finally have a nationally distributed album and a team of industry professionals. It has allowed us to re-focus on the music, and less on the self-promotion and the business. As far as we can see now, the sky is the limit."

TSF performs approximately 150 concerts each year across 48 states to a combined audience of 250,000+.

The guys have released 5 CDS, sold 1,000,000+ albums independently, and have toured nationally and internationally for 12 years.

Tonic Sol-fa produces an annual, sold-out 20-city holiday tour in the Midwest as well as spring and summer concert tours throughout the country.

National appearances have included: Newsweek, NBC's Today Show, A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, Steve & DC (nationally syndicated radio show) and many others.

Corporate collaborations have included: Bose, Schwan's, General Mills, Tastefully Simple, Herberger's and Wenger Corporation.

Tonic Sol-fa's own public television holiday special will air from 2006 to 2010 across the U.S.

Philanthropic efforts include contributions to breast cancer research for every pre-ordered copy of "Boston to Beijing," radio drive appearances for Gillette Children's Hospital, Music in Our Schools Fundraisers and Classes, American Red Cross Disaster Relief, and numerous other charities as noted on PlasticSanta.org, the non-profit arm of Tonic Sol-fa.
Tonic Sol-fa has shared the stage with Shawn Colvin, Jeff Foxworthy, Lonestar, Montgomery Gentry, Weird Al Yankovic, Garrison Keillor, Bryan White, Neal McCoy, Nestor Torres, Bobcat Goldthwait and Jerry Springer among others.

Tonic Sol-fa's original songs, arrangements, and albums have won numerous contemporary a cappella awards, have been featured on television and in movies, and have garnered positive national reviews.

TSF's original holiday song "Sno" was included on the "12 Dogs of Christmas" (the most popular Christmas video sold at Wal-Mart in 2005).

National corporate event appearances have included: Jostens, Tastefully Simple, Thrivent Financial, LifeTouch, 3M, Wal-Mart, and hundreds of others.

The guys have performed the Star Spangled Banner for national Republican and Democratic events, former presidents, the Minnesota Twins, Chicago Bears, NY Mets, the National 4th of July Celebration at Mount Rushmore, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx and Saint Paul Saints games, to name a few.

They were voted NACA's (National Association for Campus Activities) Contemporary Artist of the Year and nominated multiple times for NACA's Entertainer of the Year (most popular group in America on the college circuit).

TSF was inducted into the Midwest Music Hall of Fame in 1997.