Saturday, June 30th  /  Main Stage

When JoJo Mason walked in to a Christmas party on December 21, 2013 clutching a jar of that Ole’ Smokey Moonshine, he could not have predicted how a strange combination of events would change the course of his life forever.

Born in Regina, Saskatchewan February 26, 1990, JoJo spent most of his early years like many true Canadian kids – playing hockey on ice rinks and frozen lakes. With the opportunity of a successful career in the sport, he relocated to Victoria, BC in 2004 to play at the junior ranks. But this pursuit suddenly came to a screeching halt after suffering a herniated disk. This injury was devastating to his future in hockey and drove him down an unknown road without a destination – until now.

As the story goes – that fated jar of moonshine resolved a debate Dan had had with a co-writer earlier that day:

“During my writing session I wanted to use the line ‘drinking moonshine out of a jar’ because growing up in a small town, that’s exactly what we used to do. My co-writer had never heard of this and we debated this line for some time – we never did settle on it. Later that night at a Christmas party, in walks some guy named JoJo and to my delight, he was toting a mason jar of moonshine. This was an immediate talking point for us and the rest is history.”

Some say everything happens for a reason and some believe in fate. Whatever the case, JoJo’s irresistible personality and obvious star quality caught Dan’s attention and as the night wore on and the drinks continued to flow, JoJo expressed an interest in singing.

“At first I just passed it off as booze talk. JoJo had absolutely zero experience as a singer. In fact – until that moment he had never even aspired to be a singer. When I asked JoJo if he could sing, he uttered his now legendary response ‘I’m not the worst – I sing in the shower’. The more I talked to him and experienced his infectious, magnetic personality, the more I felt it worth my time to see if this guy could actually sing.”

And sing he could. It’s been a busy three years since JoJo started his work with Dan and Manicdown Music. He released his first single “It’s All Good” on June 21st, 2015 and it’s been a wild ride ever since. “It’s All Good” was the #1 most added song at radio in its first and third weeks of release, an accomplishment that has never before been achieved by an independent artist’s debut single in Canadian radio history. “It’s All Good” had a surreal run – reaching the top 10 on both Mediabase and BDS charts. JoJo’s 2nd single titled “Good Kinda Love”, was released in early November of 2015 and also hit the ground running. It was the #1 most added song its first week, debuted at #42 on the charts and eventually became JoJo’s second Top – 10 hit.

After an unprecedented two consecutive Top 10 singles out of the gate, Dan knew it was time to get help. This was the moment Swinimer and Manicdown Music Inc. joined forces with 604 Records for the release of Mason’s third single “Red Dress” in early 2016.

“Not only does Jonathan Simkin and his staff at 604 Records have an undeniable track record, they have amazing vision and they aren’t afraid to think outside of the box. They are perpetual leaders in an ever changing industry, they are excited about the future of music and they are thriving at a time when many established players are struggling.”

JoJo’s music is about having fun, appreciating life and sharing stories. It is passionately country, but with no fear of a deep groove, fresh lyric or original melody. He will charm you with his personality, wow you with his beat boxing, earn your respect with his work ethic, inspire you with his character and compassion, elicit a smile with his message but most importantly, JoJo will sweep you off your feet with his voice. From a moonshine slinging, shower singing prairie boy to Canada’s next country music sensation.