JON RONIGER

Jon Roniger releases his stunning and heartfelt album, Charmed Life. 

Top American solo artist Jon Roniger releases his incredible album " Charmed Life" digitally in the U.K through Matchbox Recordings. This very melodic and heartfelt album features a mix of dreamy, organic and powerful songs of hope, heartbreak, love, loss and life. "Charmed Life" was produced by Robert Reynolds who is well know for his work with The Mavericks.. The album features top class musicians that have worked with The Eagles, Counting Crows, Roy Orbison and more.  These songs are real, emotional and honest and deal with everyday matters of the heart and life. Jon Roniger is a top class singer/songwriter who wears his heart on his sleeve and cuts that emotion into his records. Think Tom Petty on holiday with Elliot Smith, John Cougar and Bob Dylan. This is dreamy, enchanting and thought provoking Americana with a warm acoustic and traditional rock conscience. 

History and artist info

Jon Roniger’s heartfelt roots rock is a truly American slice of songwriting. Adding his unique voice to the lineage of great U.S. artists, Roniger brings to the table music that touches on the human spirit without pretence and with much emotional power. Capturing the passion and power of what it means to be us, his songs are mirrors into which we each can look and see ourselves.

Roniger’s songwriting masterfully captures the keen colors of the human heart, embodying the full array of feelings of which we are capable. “Music makes me feel euphoria, desire, loneliness, nostalgia, sorrow and elation,” Roniger says. And his intense emotional life can be heard in each of his songs as he explores hurt and happiness, love and sadness, shying away from nothing, embracing everything from love to heartbreak with equal fervor.

  Roniger’s music achieves the depth of feeling it does because of his songwriting philosophy. “Music is the soul’s voice,” he says. That’s the fulcrum of his beliefs, that music is the inner self speaking outwardly. Music not written honestly and without fear or restraint is artificial and lacks true feeling. “There is no other form of communication that is understood so deeply,” Roniger says.

  Roniger has shared the stage with such artists as Big Head Todd and the Monsters, The Samples, Stroke 9, Luce and others. He tours regularly with a focus on acoustic music of late. Roniger just finished a two-year tour stateside and two tours in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He has recorded a new album at Nashville’s 16 Ton Recording Studios on Music Row slated for early 2008 release; it’s called “Charmed Life.” It was produced by Robert Reynolds (The Mavericks, Swag) and Jim Reilley (New Dylans, Curb Writer). He will be returning to Ireland and the UK in 2008. Roniger is involved in a project in which he releases a song per week for his “Songs in the Raw” blog. 

THE JON RONIGER INTERVIEW

1. What made you decide to start a career in music tell us a bit about your history and achievements to date ?

  Had it actually been a decision, I might have chosen something else. I was drawn to music when I was a kid. Piano lessons, guitar lessons, but the first real taste of a “gig” came when I joined the church choir. It was affiliated with my school. We rehearsed in the   mornings before school and Thursday nights after school.  We had a Holy Gig every Sunday. We played old folks homes, holiday parties and special events. I had a blast.

I played in a full time, working band in College called “In and Out”. We played every weekend and released 3 records on our own. College ended and the bulk of the band moved to San Francisco where we re-formed as “Slack Dog Dynamite”.

San Francisco saw the band take many forms. I played bass in a couple of bands and finally decided to go it on my own as a Solo Artist in 2003. I released “Addicted” in 2004 with my roommate and producer David Hampp. I also released my last band EP “Still” at the same time. In 2006 I released an acoustic CD “My World”.

2005-2007 have been filled with touring and writing. I have toured the US, Ireland and The UK a couple times.

NO ACHIEVEMENTS to date other than the fact that I’m still alive!

  2. Who or what are your influences ?

  Early influences include Simon and Garfunkle, Joan Biez and Jim Croce and of course, The Beatles. I was heavily influenced by the early folk and singer/songwriters. Paul Simon has been a big influence on me.

I am also a big fan of Tom Petty, John Hiatt and John Mellencamp. The combination of folk writing and pop sensibility are intriguing to me.

3. What modern artists do you like?

Tom Petty, Freedy Johnston, Teddy Thompson, Josh Ritter

4. What is the music scene like in your area/country  ?

San Francisco music scene has died in the last 10 years. Once a city “built on rock and roll”, it has now become a giant café and DJ infested club scene. There are pockets of coolness left here. You have to seek them out. Still, no one seems to care either way if the music is live or coming out of the jukebox or DJ’s iPod.

  However, the US has a wonderful diversity of musical interests. The Mid-West and South-East seem to appreciate acoustic/folk/Americana music. There is, of course, the Blues connection between Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans and Kansas City. Nashville is the center of the universe when it comes to country music. Los Angeles and New York have more of an edge. Portland, Oregon has a very eclectic music scene and Seattle is very rich in rock. Texas has it’s own music culture. If you’re not from there, it’s tough to break in. I’ve seen some of the best music in the world in Austin, TX.

5. What inspires you to write your music/lyrics ?

I draw from my life. I lived for years as a drug addict/alcoholic. I’ve had plenty of failed relationships. I’ve had friends die suddenly from freak accidents, illness and malicious attacks. I’ve traveled and met a ton of fantastic and interesting souls. I try to keep my eyes, ears and mind open. If I come across it, it will most likely end up in a song.

6. Name your all time fave track by another band/artist ?

“Hey Jude”….I mean, come on….it’s ridiculous!

7.  What sort of sound can we expect from your forthcoming album ?

It’s a rock and roll record played by real musicians for real ears. I wrote all the songs on my acoustic guitar and let the band do their thing. Robert Reynolds and Jim Reilley produced it and gathered a fantastic group of Nashville musicians to play on the record.  I call it Americana/Rock Folk.

8. What are your ambitions for your music. Where do you see yourself in 5 years ?

  Can I do this for a living? Can I pay my rent, feed my kids and take my wife out to dinner? To tell you the truth, I am working so hard on getting my music out there, that I have no idea where I might be in 5 years. I might be a babbling and drooling in a straight jacket by then.

9. How would you describe your music and what genre do you think it fits into ?

Americana/Rock/Folk – song based rock and roll with a heart

10.  Where is your forthcoming album being recorded and who is producing ?

We recorded in Nashville, TN at 16 Ton Recording Studio. It was produced by Robert Reynolds (Founder and Bass player for THE MAVERICKS) and Jim Reilley (New Dylans and Curb Staff Writer).

11. Do you write and perform all of you songs and what other musicians do you work with ?

I write and perform all of my own music. I have been touring with one of my good friends, Rico Mastrodonato, as a lead guitar player. I’ve also done a ton of touring as a solo acoustic artist.

On my record, we used Nashville’s finest collection of studio and live performers;

Steve Bowman – drums (Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind)

Rich Redmond – drums (Jason Aldene)

Robert Reynolds – bass (The Mavericks)

Tully Kennedy – bass (Jason Aldene)

Warren Pash – bass (Writer-“Private Eyes”)

Jen Gunderman – piano/keys (The Jayhawks)

Mike Webb – piano/keys (The Wreckers, Trent Summar, Jason Meadows)

Paul Deakin – vibes (The Mavericks)

Eric Fritch – guitar (Producer/Engineer Eastwood Stuidios)

Mike Durham – guitar (Dave Mathews, Tim McGraw)

Jim Reilley – guitar (New Dylans front man/ Curb Staff writer)

Al Perkins – lap/pedal steel (The Eagles, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan)

Scott Huff – horns (The Mavericks)

Bill Huber - horns

Jim Hoke - horns

Thad Cockrell – backing vocal

Jennifer Dixon – backing vocal