OUR STORY

On March 24th, 2024, four-time Grammy winner Shawn Stockman—founding member of the biggest-selling R&B group in music history, BOYZIIMEN—grabbed his acoustic guitar and boarded a red-eye flight from LAX to Philly. Only weeks away from continuing BoyzIIMen’s tour, including two sold-out Wembley Arena shows, Stockman was making the trip for something personal and powerful: music, friendship, and reconnection.

Meanwhile, multi-plantinum Grammy winning songwriter, producer and industry executive Billy Mann—long-time collaborator with another Philadelphia-native, P!nk, and hitmaker who’s sold over 120 million albums with artist collaborations from David Guetta to Burt Bacharach to John Legend—powered down his studio in Connecticut, picked up his Martin D-28, and headed south towards his old stomping grounds.

How many people can go back and truly reconnect with childhood friends? And how many actually want to? The music industry is small, and while Stockman and Mann crossed paths over the years—in L.A. recording studios, backstage green rooms, and industry events—it wasn’t until a chance realization that they understood just how much they had in common. Not only were they alumni of the same storied high school, CAPA (Philadelphia’s Creative and Performing Arts School), but they were also both fathers of sons on the autism spectrum.

Back in high school, Stockman and Mann had sat just a few seats apart in CAPA’s celebrated vocal program under the late, legendary Mr. David King. “There was a camaraderie at CAPA,” Mann reminisces. “So many kids traveled two hours just to be there because we found our people there.” While Mann was one of the few white guys in the program, he and Stockman bonded over music, vocal harmonies, and the city that shaped them. CAPA had birthed legends—BoyzIIMen, The Roots, Christian McBride, Leslie Odom Jr.—and their cohort was no exception.

Enter Clayton Sears, another fellow CAPA alum and musical wonder. A guitar prodigy and in-demand session musician, Sears has worked with an elite roster that includes Jay-Z, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Joe Jonas, John Mayer, Common, Rihanna, and Pharrell Williams. While Sears and Stockman had also crossed paths in the music industry, it was Mann who put together that the three of them weren’t just connected through music and CAPA—they were all autism dads, each navigating the unique joys and challenges of raising neurodivergent children.

Stockman and his wife founded Micah’s Foundation in honor of their son, Micah. Mann, inspired by his two neurodivergent sons, became a vocal advocate for autism families, serving on the Autism Speaks national board for over a decade and helping craft policy with President Obama’s team. Mann’s wife sits on the board of ABILIS in Connecticut.  But all of the guys are big fans of the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation, which has woven their passion for their hometown and their Super Bowl champions with a key part of their lives. The three musicians didn’t just share Philly’s rich musical history—they shared a deeply personal mission.

One day, Mann had a thought: What if they created something together, purely for themselves? He reached out to Stockman, who responded enthusiastically: “I just wanna vibe with you and put some ideas together organically…” Sears, still based in the Philly area, offered to join the creative process at his Gradwell recording studio in Haddon Heights, NJ (aka “East Philly”), and the 2024 recording dates were locked in.

In the studio, something extraordinary happened. Stockman and Mann, both celebrated for their deep song-driven musical instincts, found a collaborative rhythm with Sears in the studio that felt effortless. Their sound—a fusion of South Philly influences—married Jim Croce’s folk storytelling with the soulful undercurrent of the Isley Brothers. The duo’s harmonies channeled the intricate softness of Simon & Garfunkel, while their lyrics reflected the wisdom and wit of two artists who had lived, loved, and earned their creative freedom. With Sears as a key creative partner, co-producing and co-writing on the album, they built a sonic landscape that felt fresh yet timeless.

Their upcoming album, Generation Us, speaks to where they are now. The title track, a tribute to their late mothers, delivers poignant observations like “the ironic revelation is the TikTok generation” with clarity, not sermonizing. “Press Save” evokes images of simpler times—shared moments on a well-worn couch in Fishtown. Tracks like “Where Love Goes,”  “South Philly Sunset,” and “Oceans of Love” lean into soulful melodies, while “Only You Can Save Me” and “Mistakes” bring a high-energy, drum and drive reminiscent of Mumford & Sons.

Under the name CHOSEN FAMILY, Stockman and Mann are set to release Generation Us later this year, followed by a 2025 tour of the same name. While the live experience will primarily cater to an adult audience, every performance will be a safe and inclusive space for special needs families and individuals—because for Stockman and Mann, music isn’t just about the past; it’s about building something meaningful for the future.

And at the heart of it all, their chosen family isn’t just the two of them—it includes the people who helped shape the journey, including lifelong friend and creative force Clay Sears, who helped bring this vision to life. And more chosen family members are on the way.