ying ▁local ▁success , ▁his ▁father ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁he ▁took ▁a ▁job ▁driving ▁a ▁cab ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁help ▁his ▁family ▁pay ▁b ills . ▁ ▁His ▁music ▁career ▁was ▁put ▁on ▁hold ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁when ▁he ▁began ▁playing ▁in ▁local ▁clubs ▁at ▁the ▁ur ging ▁of ▁a ▁former ▁bass ist . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁he ▁formed ▁a ▁group ▁called ▁Mem ▁Sh annon ▁and ▁the ▁M emb ership , ▁who ▁won ▁a ▁spot ▁playing ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Jazz ▁& ▁Heritage ▁Festival . ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁they ▁competed ▁for ▁a ▁spot ▁at ▁the ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Blues ▁Festival , ▁but ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁talent ▁contest ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁to ▁appear . ▁ ▁First ▁album ▁and ▁beyond ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁after ▁being ▁im pressed ▁with ▁a ▁demo ▁t ape ▁that ▁Sh annon ▁had ▁recorded , ▁Joe ▁Bo yd ▁of ▁Hann ib al ▁Records ▁contact ed ▁Sh annon , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁album , ▁A ▁Cab ▁Driver ' s ▁Blues , ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁Songs ▁on ▁the ▁album ▁featured ▁sni ppets ▁of ▁actual ▁convers ations ▁from ▁his ▁customers ▁while ▁in ▁the ▁cab . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Sh annon ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁giving ▁up ▁driving ▁his ▁cab ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁make