John Ellison, charismatic creator of the R&B standard “Some Kind of Wonderful”, will knock your socks off with his trademark energy, soulful voice and award-winning lyrics. He impresses with his music and voice and is one of the few remaining soul and blues legends that have made an essential contribution to the development of blues, gospel, soul and funk music in a time of great social change.

2026 November 7 - Saturday - 7:30 PM
WV Culture Center
State Capitol Complex
Charleston WV

Born 11 August 1941, into an impoverished family in a small coal mining town in West Virginia, a young John started on a difficult career path as a musician experiencing tremendous hardship and violent racism. In the mid-1960s, Ellison traveled to Rochester, New York, where he founded Soul Brothers Six. in 1967, John Ellison wrote what would become one of the most famous songs in the history of popular music - Some Kind of Wonderful, a song that not only conquered the whole world, but also mirrors the musical talent of John and the story of his remarkable live.

Not only has the trademark bass line in "Some Kind of Wonderful" been utilized by countless other artists for a variety of different songs, but the song has also earned a spot in music history. More than 70 different artists … have recorded "Some Kind of Wonderful," making it one of the most recorded songs in the history of music.

John received no fewer than 7 life time BMI achievement awards and was inducted in the West Virginia and the Rochester Music Hall of Fame and has played with, written for and performed alongside: Nina Simone, James Brown, The Temptations, Wilson Pickett, Grand Funk Railroad, Huey Lewis & the News, Buddy Guy, Joss Stone etc.

John Ellison is Some Kind of Wonderful!

Concert starts at 7:30 pm

Box office sales start at 6:30 pm

Doors open at 6:30 pm

$25 in advance
$30 at the door
$10 Students

Children under 13 admitted free

All the FAQs and nothing but the FAQs