Today, acclaimed songwriter, author, and blues & soul revivalist Reverend Shawn Amos shares his new single “The Loco-Motion,” the latest release in his ongoing Dance Party series.
Now in its seventh installment, the series serves as a companion piece to his forthcoming novel Franklin & the Fabulous 5ive, with both projects sharing a central idea: that dance, celebration, and communal joy are acts of resistance and connection in troubled times. Known for his inventive reinterpretations of classic material, Amos applies his signature harmonica-driven style to the song’s familiar melody.
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 an early example of the era’s shift toward dance-driven soul—a shared invitation to move and take part. Collective spirit is a theme Reverend Shawn Amos returns to in his work.
The son of Wally “Famous” Amos, he grew up in Hollywood, an experience reflected in his storytelling for young readers. 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 fourth novel, Franklin & the Fabulous 5ive, is set for publication by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in January 2027.
The Dance Party series continues a career that has moved across creative lanes. Before establishing himself as a blues & soul artist with a devoted following, Reverend Shawn Amos worked behind the scenes in the music industry as an executive at Rhino Records and Shout! Factory, building a deep familiarity with American music history.
As American Blues Scene previously noted in an interview with Reverend Shawn Amos on his 2024 album Soul Brother Brother No. 1, he approaches music as a deeply collaborative exchange—one that, in his words, creates “the most direct connection from my head to my heart to my spirit.”
