Lajon Witherspoon

Lajon Witherspoon
Witherspoon during a Sevendust concert in May 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Lajon Jermaine Witherspoon
Born	(1972-10-03) October 3, 1972 (age 44) Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres	Alternative metal, heavy metal, nu metal, hard rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, drums
Years active	1988—present
Labels	Asylum, 7 Bros.
Associated acts	Sevendust, Earthside, Body & Soul

Lajon Jermaine Witherspoon (born October 3, 1972) is an American musician best known as the vocalist for the Atlanta-based alternative metal band Sevendust.

Members from bands such as Staind, Seether, Alter Bridge, and Diecast have listed Witherspoon and Sevendust as musical influences. In March 2008, Witherspoon was recognized in Hit Parader as one of the "Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time." He was ranked number 35, placing over numerous famous rock vocalists such as Bret Michaels, Scott Weiland, and David Bowie.

Lajon Witherspoon was born in Nashville, but grew up in Atlanta with his parents, along with his brother Reginald Ladon Witherspoon. Witherspoon's father was a singer in a funk band when his family lived in Nashville. Before getting into music, Witherspoon played football and wrestled for Norcross High School. He also practiced judo for a number of years, but eventually chose music over sports as his primary activity.

Before his days in Sevendust, Witherspoon was the frontman of a soul group, Body & Soul. In 1994, his group supported local group Snake Nation, at a gig. Impressed by his vocal abilities, Vinnie Hornsby and Morgan Rose asked Witherspoon to sing for their band. Guitarist John Connolly, the former drummer of the Piece Dogs, and Lee Banks joined them to form Rumblefish. The name was soon changed to Crawlspace. When the band's schedule proved too much for Banks, Clint Lowery from North Carolina's Still Rain replaced him. The band had to change their name again when a group on the west coast claimed the rights to it. Struggling with a new moniker, the members settled on Sevendust after Hornsby found a can of "Sevin Dust" (a pesticide) in his grandmother's garage.