Ron Littlejohn anxious to jam in his new King surroundings

May 14, 2014 · 0 Comments

Ron Littlejohn, his wife Stephanie and daughter Ella.

By Mark Pavilons

King Township has won the heart of a Toronto musician. And who knows, it may very well spark some legendary material that will live forever.
Ron Littlejohn, singer of the Toronto funk/soul band Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy (and Planet Earth) just can’t wait to leave the hustle and bustle of the Big Smoke behind and settle in to Snowball.
Littlejohn, his wife Stephanie and one-year-old daughter Ella will soon become part of King’s fabric. While there may not be any riverboats cruising on the nearby canals, Littlejohn’s signature silky smooth jazz sound is a good fit with the arts scene in King.
The honest emotion and pure talent that echoes through the newly released single “Shining On” is sure to please purists and first-time listeners alike. Littlejohn said both the song and video have received very positive reviews, meaning there’s much more in the group’s future.
Littlejohn co-wrote the song with Montreal native Thierry Matrat. It was definitely a labour of love.
Inspired by their heroes such as Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, the album was the culmination of hard work and dedication from some of Toronto and Montreal’s best soul/funk artists, ironically brought together by a songwriter from Lyons, France.
Ron Littlejohn & the Funk Embassy is a funk collective founded by main songwriters Thierry Matrat and Littlejohn. The project features Littlejohn on vocals, Thierry Matrat on keyboards, Alana Bridgewater on vocals, Olivier Babaz on bass, Joe Hackl on guitar, Moise Matey on percussion, Dwight Chase on drums, and many other talented musicians contributing to individual tracks.
With Planet Earth, Littlejohn said they were well known Toronto performers.
As a new father, his life and focus has changed, so the family decided to move to King, where people say hello on the street and in coffee shops.
Littlejohn believes their rural King retreat will be their solace and his main project this summer will be learning to create a garden. Of course, he plans on walking the property strumming his acoustic guitar. There’s an open invitation to join him if you’re driving by!
Driven by passion, Littlejohn may be a bit elitist, but don’t take it as ego. He admits he’s “just another guy trying to find his way.”
His personal tastes and influences go back to classic New Orleans music of the 1940s, but he enjoys a wide range of genres. Add a dash of ‘60s soul and gospel, with a pinch of 1950s rock and you’ve got a savoury gumbo boogie that Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis would approve of.
Littlejohn loves the longevity of music. The best part of making music is that in 100 years, his song and video will be there, whether you sell a million copies or give them away for free.
“That’s your legacy, your fingerprint,” he observed.
Shining On was written before Ella’s birth, and it contains words to live by.
Don’t be surprised if you see Ron Littlejohn around Kettleby, King City or Schomberg. And if you do, say hello.