His adolescence was spent in Pittsburgh's underground music scene, where indie-rock house shows and jazz gigs influenced him as much as an American Indian survival school.

[1] AllMusic compared him to Tim Buckley and Nick Drake, stating, "his complex folk- and jazz-flavored melodies and lyrical, acoustic guitar style, as well as his breathy vocal delivery, certainly sound heavily influenced by one or both.

"[2] Fred Kraus of Minor 7th praised the album for its minimalist yet hypnotic sound, stating, "It's as if he's holding a stethoscope to the ground, channeling what he hears through eons of nature's voices, running it all through his heart, and then out through his fingers.

[4] In his AllMusic review, Thom Jurek praised the way Wings of Sound subtly complimented Shannon, stating, "it is deceptively simple in its articulation of the profound, yet remains utterly mysterious; its abundant beauty resonates long after its final song echoes, then vanishes into the realm of silence" Time Was a Lie (Creek Valley, 2012) was Shannon's first album to include electric bass.

Shannon is also known for his work as a sideman guitarist with artists such as pianist Hiromi Uehara, singer/songwriter James Maddock, saxophonist Bob Reynolds, singer/songwriter Sonya Kitchell and cellist/trombonist Dana Leong.