It’s been a lifetime of making music. I started writing silly songs when I was 14. These recordings are a partial representation of this life. I like to think. And I feel like these songs are thoughtful efforts to help me remember people, places, times, and feelings. I can get emotional just hearing one of these songs, the memories are so clear. Musicians, sessions, jokes, disagreements, arrangements, explanations all come back to me by hearing all of these songs. Maybe they are a form of time machine. Some of these songs were only performed live once - and miraculously captured. I can’t tell anyone how grateful I am for these coincidences. Every song here I STILL completely believe in. Most of them have been groggily written down on whatever I could find in the middle of the night. Dylan talks about this. Neil Young too. It can be an amazing experience. Some of them have come from the metronome of the road. I do a TON of driving, and the sound of a quiet cab and the tires on the road make for a cool rhythm. I have never been a journeyman songwriter. When I hear good songs written as an exercise or as a conscious effort - I am amazed. Of course, I have - as a lark - done a little AI tune and it was almost GOOD. That blows my mind.
The business of music has, for the most part, eluded me. Seems like I’m about 2-3 steps behind in merch, marketing, promotion, etc.. Certainly, here on this website I offer a way to donate money to fractionally offset the actual, real costs for making all this music a tangible experience. But, this is also a legacy for complete, utter strangers to find buried treasure, something very few have found. It’s not a total vanity project, like I said - I BELIEVE in these songs. I’ve heard a ton of AMAZING songs: Steve Earle, John Prine, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Merle Haggard, CSNY, Townes van Zandt, Lucinda Williams, Dylan. And I STILL want to push these songs through the birth canal and help them see the light of day.
There are songs here that were very recently recorded in the Bay Area where my family and I currently live. There is a song here written in 1978! So, that is the time frame. There are many more archival songs from some of my favorite songwriters that I may release in the future. But this is a good start. Please enjoy this music. Please share this music. There are many styles of music represented, so enjoy making the effort to check it all out. If you’re a fan of the aforementioned artists, you will find music here that qualifies for your time.
Jon Lawton Americana singer/songwriter
Jon has spent years in the absolute trenches. After getting out of college he did a few years doing the open mic, acoustic jams in Omaha, Ne. . Met all the folkies of that time, worked Omaha Children’s Theater for wages, and otherwise cut his teeth. Met the reigning guitarist Dave Barger and they became roommates. Dave played everywhere with everyone all the time. Dave was in a band called Risky Shift and the second guitar chair opened up. Jon took it and the band became a very busy local hit! For many years that band played to packed clubs all over the place. As that band evolved into the next phase Jon put together a blues band called the Backbeats which also included Marc Wilson on drums and Joe Cabral on sax. These musicians went on and played with many notable artists and Joe started the very popular New Orleans band the Iguanas. After 14 years of midwestern bar blues party bands, Jon took an opportunity to move west to Santa Barbara, California. Shortly after his arrival, Jon joined the regional, very popular band called the Pontiax. Led by the brilliant vocalist, harmonica ace Mitch Kashmar, the Pontiax were one of the 90’s harp bands of California. William Clarke, Rod Piazza, James Harman and the Pontiax all ran in the same circuit. With this band, Jon played a conspicuous part on the Pontiax first, and only release - 100 Miles To Go. People STILL mention that band and record to Jon frequently. When that band ran its course Jon formed Little Jonny and the Giants. It was a bit more eclectic featuring Billy Flores (also formerly with the Pontiax) on accordion, steel guitar, sax, and guitar. They also featured the sensational keyboard player Jim Calire. That band in various forms made 6 CDs, all favorably reviewed in blues and music publications. The Pontiax and the Giants shared stages and backed many musical giants: Bob Dylan, Anson Funderburgh, Jimmy Rogers, Albert King, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Gregg Allman, Mighty Joe Young, Fenton Robinson, George Thoroughgood, and many others. Jon lives in Oakland,Ca. now with his family. Covid brought many SOLO gigs and during that period Jon made a very down home record mentioned earlier- the Virginny sessions Vol. 1. It includes many newer songs in the Steve Earle, John Prine, David Bromberg tradition. This harkens back to Jon’s early days.