Born in Montgomery, Alabama, he became a painter of southern black genre in a style of elongated, rhythmic figures, and sombre tones. He also earned a lasting reputation as the man who discovered, exhibited, and documented the folk artist, Bill Traylor.

Shannon studied for two years at Emory University and four years at the Cleveland School of Art. In 1935, he returned to Montgomery for a summer vacation and did numerous scenes of local life. In May, 1938, he had his first New York debut, which was at the Jaques Seligmann Galleries, but shortly thereafter, he decided to settle in his hometown of Montgomery where he felt most comfortable with the subject matter for his art.

He formed an art center, the "New South," with several friends to raise awareness of southern art, and it was here that he exhibited Bill Traylor's work, which he dedicated the later part of his life to preserving and documenting.

Biography courtesy of The Charleston Renaissance Gallery, www.antiquesandfineart.com/charleston