Austin, TX - Shawn Siegel, a central figure in the early Austin music scene and psychic cosmonaut, died Saturday April 12, 2025 of complications arising from cancer. The Philadelphia-born pianist and producer was 80 years old.

Shawn began playing piano as a child and arrived in Austin a student at the University of Texas in 1962, where he pledged the Jewish fraternity, finding brother Kinky Friedman. He went on to join violinist Spencer Perskin to found Shiva's Headband, a group that would become synonymous with Austin live music. As the house band at the original Vulcan Gas Company, Shiva's soon shared bills with the likes of ZZ Top, Steppenwolf, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Freddie King. The band released two albums with Capitol Records and went on to help fund and establish the Armadillo World Headquarters.

In the 1980s Shawn led several groups, including Shawn Siegel and the Originals. These efforts culminated as he turned to producing and directing Pigtail Rag, a cartoon set to his original music that featured instrumentalists Rocky Morales, George Rains, and Chuck Weber. The piece showcased the designs, paintings, and backgrounds of Austin artists Michael Priest and Marvin King, and was broadcast nationally on The Nashville Network.

In his final years Shawn worked tirelessly as an activist for child safety. He was regarded as a highly knowledgeable resource among his extensive online communities concerned with the effects of early inoculations.

He is survived by his five children, five grandchildren, two brothers, one niece, four nephews, and a bevy of great-grand nieces and nephews. Shawn was well known for improvised witticisms that seemed to wobble unless turned upside down. He once tried to recall the name of a band that was "So well known, even I could forget it." The evening before he passed, he announced to family, calmly and with light in his eyes, "I'm gonna get out of here." A memorial will be held upon notice.