Shannon Anderson Stanfield

Shannon Anderson Stanfield, Sr. “Clint Clinton”, a loving father, treasured friend, gifted photographer, and talented musician, succumbed to cancer after a valiant 2 ½ year battle on Sunday, February 28, 2010. He was 45. Born March 8, 1964, Shannon was a pivotal figure in the Knoxville rock’n’roll music scene. He first achieved notoriety as guitarist/songwriter for 5Twins, a band that melded punk riffs with a smart pop sensibility to become one of the most popular of Knoxville’s first wave of punk groups, circa 1980-1982. After graduating from West High School, Shannon moved to Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where he developed his “Clint Clinton” persona as lead singer/guitarist of country/roots rock’n’roll band The Clintons, an act that continued in various incarnations for 25 years, both in New York and, later, in Knoxville. In the early 80s The Clintons were quite popular in New York’s downtown music scene, playing frequently at nightspots such as CBGB, Danceteria, and The Ritz, and touring the Eastern Seaboard several times over. The group was critically lauded in New York, frequently appearing in publications such as the New York Times, the East Village Eye, and Village Voice, where music columnist Robert Christgau described Shannon as “the best rhythm guitarist I’ve seen in years.” The band released recordings on noted independent labels Coyote/Twin-Tone Records and Diesel Only records, opening a spate of shows for celebrated artists such as Johnny Thunders, the Fleshtones, Billy Bragg, the Del Fuegos, The Cult, the BoDeans, and countless others. In 1986 Shannon returned to Knoxville where he continued to record and perform with The Clintons for the remainder of his life. Shannon received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism from the University of Tennessee in 1996. After graduating, he held a number of communication-related jobs which included music columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel and photographer/writer for TNN’s Club Dance show. Shannon’s photographs appeared in many local publications such as the News Sentinel and Metro Pulse. By the mid 1990s he became a renowned wedding photographer, eventually opening his own studio, Shannon Stanfield Photography, a business he ran for the rest of his life. Shannon is fondly remembered in Knoxville and New York for his guitar’s joyous country twang, his songwriting skills, quick wit, always upbeat personality, and loyalty to friends and family. Shannon’s survivors include son, Shannon Anderson Stanfield, Jr. (“Tate”), age 13; daughter, Katherine Celeste Stanfield, age 9; their mother, Dana Stanfield Bayiates; former wife, Kimberley Bell and her daughter, Elise Bell; sister, Oleta Lynn Stanfield Collins of Bakersfield, California; sister, Deanie Greene of Miami, Florida; aunt, JoDell Stanfield Oaks of Knoxville, and other treasured relatives. Donations in Shannon’s honor may be made to the American Cancer Society, East Region Office, 871 Weisgarber Road, Knoxville, TN 37909.

Tributes

Shannon Anderson Stanfield

March 8, 1964 - February 28, 2010