Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-05-02
Credit: Fred Siegel
Today, acclaimed songwriter, author, and blues & soul revivalist The Reverend Shawn Amos shares his new single “The Loco-Motion,” the latest release in his ongoing Dance Party singles series. Known for his inventive reinterpretations of classic material, Amos brings his signature harmonica-driven style to one of the most beloved songs of the early R&B era. “The Loco-Motion” is out today via East Iris Records on all streaming platforms.
Listen: The Reverend Shawn Amos – “The Loco-Motion”
Spotify – iTunes – Amazon Music – Apple Music – YouTube
“Now more than ever, we must dance with each other. Dance is medicine. Dance is rebellion. Dance is community. Dance is joy.” — Shawn Amos
Originally recorded by Little Eva and released in 1962, “The Loco-Motion” arrived as a harbinger of the soul revolution to come—a joyous, communal call to move together. In Amos’ hands, that spirit is honored and amplified. His version layers in harmonica and the warm, lived-in feel that has defined his work as a blues and soul artist, breathing new life into a song whose freewheeling optimism feels, in the current moment, almost quietly radical.
It’s a sensibility Amos knows well. The son of Wally “Famous” Amos, he grew up in Hollywood navigating the mix of opportunity and instability that comes with celebrity proximity—experiences he has channeled into both his music and his acclaimed literary work. His young adult novel Cookies & Milk won the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work and, alongside Ellis Johnson Might Be Famous, established him as a distinctive voice in children’s and young adult literature. His forthcoming fourth novel, Franklin & the Fabulous 5ive, is set for publication by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in January 2027.
“The Loco-Motion” is the seventh single in the Dance Party series, which will serve as a companion piece to *Franklin & the Fabulous 5ive*. Both projects share a common thesis: that dance, celebration, and communal joy are not luxuries but necessities—acts of resistance and connection in troubled times.
The Dance Party series represents the latest chapter in a career that has moved fluidly between creative disciplines. Before establishing himself as a blues & soul artist with a devoted following, Amos built a deep résumé in the music industry as an executive at Rhino Records and Shout! Factory, developing a breadth of knowledge about American music history that informs every note he plays. His work as a recording artist has drawn on that knowledge—most notably in his inventive cover of David Bowie’s “The Jean Genie”—while remaining anchored in the emotional directness of the blues tradition.
Amos’ 2024 album Soul Brother Brother No. 1 was acclaimed by NPR Music, Relix, American Blues Scene, and No Depression, which wrote, “Adopting James Brown's mantle as Soul Brother No. 1 for an album title is a ballsy move. But it quickly becomes apparent that… The Reverend Shawn Amos is not trying to subvert Brown's legacy or sound, but rather carrying on the tradition of soul artists who have paved the way for Black voices to effect social change through music.”
