Shannon Mills Jr.
Guitar and Mandolin Maker
Shannon Mills Jr. was born in Baton Rouge in 1948. He makes his living as a project engineer, but since 1984 he has also made a name for himself making and repairing stringed musical instruments like guitars and mandolins. He lives in Zachary, Louisiana, with his wife Rianne, and their three children.
Mills says that he is primarily self-taught, and that his major influence was fellow Florida Parishes instrument maker Johnny Rushing. He makes his instruments in his workshop after work, and he typically creates about four instruments a year. Mills makes his instruments traditionally, by hand. He uses small woodworking tools, some of which he has handmade himself. Primarily a custom builder, Mills has worked to preserve traditional styles of making guitars while using updated research and technology to achieve the tone desired by the contemporary ear. Materials include exotic and domestic woods, primarily spruces, walnut, rosewood, mahogany. The wood is quarter sawn and air cured. He has also used native Louisiana cherry and Louisiana walnut with excellent results. Walnut is Mills' favorite tonewood, as it produces a warm, woody tone with a subtle "punch." Shannon Mills also plays the guitar, and plays bluegrass music with his friends.
He has demonstrated instrument making at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Louisiana Folklife Festival, and the Louisiana Native Crafts Festival.
