Have you ever heard of John Ellison? What about the Soul Brothers Six? Them neither, eh? Well, you’ve heard of Grand Funk Railroad and the hit song “Some Kind of Wonderful.” Of course you have; everyone has. Thing is, it’s not a Grand Funk Railroad song. It’s also not a Huey Lewis song. Nor is it a Buddy Guy song. "Some Kind of Wonderful," one of the most covered, recorded and played songs in the history of popular music, was written in 1967 by John Ellison, front man of the Soul Brothers Six.

Ellison’s career has criss-crossed the spectrum of musical highs and lows. On Sunday, December 6, he will experience a new high when he receives the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hamilton Music Awards.

In advance of the awards – and his performance at the McIntyre Theatre and Mohawk College on December 3 – Ellison sat down with Here to discuss his musical career, his new book, and to offer advice for anyone trying to make a go of anything.  

MO’D: This year you’re being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hamilton Music Awards. How does it feel to receive such an award? 

JE: It’s a great honour. I’m very humbled by it. It’s nice to be recognized for my musical contributions. I’m especially happy because it’s from Hamilton. I have a lot of musician friends in the city. Hamilton is a great musical city and I’m just happy to be a part of it. 

MO’D: You wrote She’s Some Kind of Wonderful in 1967. It’s been covered by a very diverse selection of artists. What do you think it is about the song that appeals to people across so many genres of music? 

JE: That’s a good question. At my last counting there were 58 artists who have covered the song. I think it’s basically because it’s a feel-good song. The phrase “some kind of wonderful” is just happy. It’s just a happy song. I think people like to feel happy and that song brings out the joy in people. It’s also a song that people can connect with. I’ve had a lot of people over the years come up to me and say, “I got married because of that song,” or “I met my girlfriend because of that song.” It’s a connecting song. That’s my feeling on it. 

MO’D: Can you describe the events around writing that song? 

JE: (Laughs) Yes, I won’t go into too many details, though. 

MO’D: No problem. 

JE: Basically, I was seeing this young lady in Rochester, New York. I was leaving Rochester and getting ready to go on tour and I didn’t know when I was coming back. Her and I, we spent some time together the day before and when I was leaving she was the last person I saw and I told her she was some kind of wonderful person. As I was leaving I said, “I’m going to write a song about you.” 

MO’D: You wrote the song on a paper bag, didn’t you? 

JE: Yes, as a matter of fact. She had packed me a lunch and she put it in a brown paper bag – it was like a lunch bag. We were leaving for Philadelphia, and en route to Philly, after I ate my sandwiches, I got thinking about what I wanted to say about her and I started writing the lyrics on the back of the lunch bag that she had packed for me. It took me maybe 25 or 30 minutes to write the song. I already had a beat in mind for it, and the rhythm and the bass, and I knew how I wanted the backup vocals to go. So when we arrived in Philadelphia, after a couple of days I called the band together and we started rehearsing. I introduced the song to the band and showed them how I wanted it to go. The rest, as they say, is history. 

MO’D: You’re working on a book right now, too. How is that coming along? 

JE: The book is written. We’re in the process of getting it published. I’ve lived an interesting life and I want people to know the real story behind the man who wrote the song "Some Kind of Wonderful" – all the obstacles that I encountered, the good times, the bad times and give people all around the world a sense of what’s taken place in my life. It hasn’t all been peaches and cream. I want people to get a sense of the real me and the things that I encountered in pursuing my career in music. 

MO’D: I know you've experienced some extreme hardships in your life. How were you able to go on? 

JE: Because I’ve always believed in myself and I’ve always believed that nothing and no one can ever stop me from doing or being what I want to be in life. If you believe in yourself and you are determined to get from point A to point B, you will make it. 

MO’D: You still perform regularly.  

JE: Yes, I do. Actually, there’s a label in Hamilton that has approached me about doing another CD. I’ve already started writing material for another CD, and I’m planning on going in the studio at the very beginning of the new year to record again. 

MO’D: When will the CD be coming out? 

JE: I would think in the spring of next year. 

MO’D: Do you plan to tour to support it? 

JE: Oh yes, most definitely. Music is my first love. I always say, “I am music.” So I love music. I love travelling, I love performing and I love writing. I still have a lot more songs to write and I’m also involved in food – that’s another love I have. I have a food business. I already have a spice on the market in the U.S. and in the Hamilton area. 

MO’D: How many shows do you play in a year? 

In the past I was working at least 45 weeks a year. I’ve cut back. I’ve also ventured in another direction with my food business, so I have to divide my time between my music and running my food business. I would say last year, well, I was in Europe twice. I didn’t do a lot of shows last year. I would say maybe 25 shows. 

MDS: You’re playing the McIntyre Theatre show with your daughter Rachel. 

JE: Yes. She’s going to be opening for me.  

MDS: What kind of a show can fans expect to see? 

JE: The best they’ll ever see (laughs). 

MDS: You’re on Y108 on Tuesday with Andre Shickolenko? 

JE: Yes. 

MDS: And you’ll be performing as well? 

JE: Exactly. 

MDS: Is there anything you’d like to add? 

JE: Yes. I would like to say to anyone who wants to pursue a career in music – not just music, in anything in life – if you think positively and believe in yourself, you can make it happen. Everyone has their own thoughts about religion, but I always say I believe in God. I one-hundred-and-one percent believe that if you put your faith in a specific direction and you believe in yourself, there is nothing that you cannot accomplish in life. 
 

John Ellison will perform on Thursday, December 3, 2009, at the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College (Fennell at West 5th). In partnership with the Leggat Auto Group, Ellison will be supporting Good Shepherd Centres through the Tickets for Food Drive. Bring a bag of non-perishable food items to Y108 (900-875 Main St. W.) or This Ain’t Hollywood (345 James St. N.) and receive tickets to Ellison’s McIntyre Theatre concert.