Jon Foreman
{{Short description|American musician (born 1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Jon Foreman
| image = Jon Foreman, April 2008.jpg
| landscape = yes
| caption = Jon Foreman in April 2008
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Jonathan Mark Foreman
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|10|22}}
| birth_place = San Bernardino County, California, U.S.
| origin =
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, harmonica, cello, keyboards
| occupation = Singer-songwriter, guitarist
| years_active = 1996–present
| label = {{hlist|lowercase people|Capitol CMG|Credential}}
| current_member_of = Switchfoot, Fiction Family
| website = {{URL|http://jonforeman.com}}
}}
Jonathan Mark Foreman (born October 22, 1976){{cite web | url=https://buffalonews.com/news/archives/celebrity-birthdays-oct-22/collection_8190ff26-73ff-5583-bff9-5523349e4596.html | title=Celebrity Birthdays: Oct. 22 | date=October 22, 2021 }} is an American musician who is the lead singer, guitarist, primary songwriter, and co-founder of the alternative rock band Switchfoot. As a solo act, Foreman has released 14 extended plays and two studio albums.
Personal life
Foreman was born in San Bernardino County, California, but his family moved to Massachusetts and Virginia Beach during his childhood. There he became fast friends with Todd Cooper, who encouraged him to learn guitar.[http://www.freewebs.com/landofbrokenhearts1/interviewwithtodd.htm Interview with Todd Cooper] {{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Cooper was later a guitar tech for Switchfoot, although he left in 2005 to pursue his own musical career.
After several years, Foreman and his family moved back to Southern California, this time settling in Encinitas. He graduated from San Dieguito Academy in the North County Coastal area of San Diego, California.{{Cite web |last=Sutton |first=Jarnard |date=2015-10-30 |title=Video: Jon Foreman’s 25 shows in 24 hours |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2015/10/30/video-jon-foremans-25-shows-in-24-hours/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Lott-Schwartz • • |first=Hannah |date=2016-02-23 |title=Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder Schools His Encinitas Alma Mater |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/in-your-neighborhood/pearl-jam-frontman-surprises-students/2020201/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=NBC 7 San Diego |language=en-US}} Foreman attended UC San Diego and later dropped out to follow his singing career.{{cite web|url=http://www.landofbrokenhearts1.org/jonsbio.htm|title=JON FOREMAN BIOGRAPHY|access-date=September 22, 2014}} {{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Foreman married Emily Masen in 2002, and the couple had a daughter in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.myswitchfeed.com/switchfoot/bio/jonforeman/ |title=Jon Foreman Bio » My Switchfeed |access-date=September 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101073356/http://www.myswitchfeed.com/switchfoot/bio/jonforeman/ |archive-date=January 1, 2015 }} Jon Foreman Bio The couple welcomed their second child, a son, in June 2018.{{cite web|last=|first=|date=March 21, 2019|title=Switchfoot frontman on the group's hiatus, his bandmate's cancer and more ahead of Denver show|url=https://theknow.denverpost.com/2019/03/21/switchfoot-tour-break-native-tongue-denver/211116/|access-date=January 28, 2021|website=Denver Post}}
One of Foreman's favorite pastimes is surfing, and when not on tour, he resides in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a beach community in Encinitas.
Foreman is a committed nondenominational Christian; however, his goal with Switchfoot has always been to make music for all people. "For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us 'Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind — and that's what we want."{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2004/01/09/switchfoot_steps_toward_stardom|title=Switchfoot steps toward stardom|newspaper=Boston.com|date=January 9, 2004|access-date=September 22, 2014|last1=Morse|first1=Steve}}
Foreman's father, Mark, served as the senior pastor of North Coast Calvary Chapel in Carlsbad, California.{{cite web |title=Our Staff - North Coast Calvary Chapel |url=https://www.northcoastcalvary.org/team/mark-foreman/ |access-date=June 26, 2019}} His mother is Jan (née Carlton).{{cite web |author1=John Wilkens |title=Birthday surprise for WWII pilot reunited with pieces of his past |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sd-me-found-plane-20190114-story.html |publisher=San Diego Union-Tribune |access-date=January 31, 2019 |date=January 14, 2019}}
Influences
Foreman cites Elliott Smith,{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-foreman/the-dark-horse-joan-of-ar_b_558967.html |title=The Dark Horse: Joan of Arc, Elliot Smith and Me|access-date=November 8, 2016 |work= The Huffington Post|date=June 30, 2010}} U2, The Police, James Taylor, The Beatles, Radiohead,{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484844/20040205/switchfoot.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040402171231/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1484844/20040205/switchfoot.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2004|title=Switchfoot Evicted By Radiohead, Embraced By Rock Radio|work=MTV News|access-date=September 22, 2014}} J.S. Bach, Ronny Jordan, Miles Davis, Keith Green, Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin as some of his musical influences.[http://www.landofbrokenhearts1.org/faqtheguys.htm QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GUYS] {{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} In 2001, he was awarded the "Les Paul Horizon Award" for the most promising up-and-coming guitarist at the annual Orville H. Gibson Guitar Awards in Los Angeles.[http://www.massconcerts.com/featuredartists/switchfoot.htm Switchfoot] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511171521/http://www.massconcerts.com/featuredartists/switchfoot.htm |date=May 11, 2008 }}
Side projects
Foreman has made musical contributions away from Switchfoot, including writing with Molly Jenson.{{cite web|title=Molly Jenson (Maybe Tomorrow review) |url=http://soul-audio.com/album-reviews/03-06-2009/molly-jenson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716111621/http://soul-audio.com/album-reviews/03-06-2009/molly-jenson/ |date=March 6, 2009 |archive-date=July 16, 2011}} He appeared on the song "Deathbed" on Relient K's 2007 album, Five Score and Seven Years Ago. In September 2009, Jazz musician Karl Denson released the album "Brother's Keeper," on which two songs were co-written by Foreman, and one song, "Drums of War," was solely written by Foreman, which he also sang on.{{cite web|last1=Jurek|first1=Thom|title=Review|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/brothers-keeper-mw0000826987|website=Allmusic|access-date=March 11, 2015}} He wrote "Running Away from Me" for Meat Loaf's 2010 album Hang Cool Teddy Bear. Foreman collaborated with Ryan O'Neal for the Sleeping at Last song "Birthright."{{cite web|last1=O'Neil|first1=Ryan|title="Birthright" & how it was made.|url=http://sleepingatlast.com/birthright-how-it-was-made/|website=SleepingatLast.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402154223/http://sleepingatlast.com/birthright-how-it-was-made/|archive-date=April 2, 2015}} Foreman has also contributed to the books The Art of Being{{cite web |title=The Art of Being Book |url=http://www.artofbeingbook.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516110401/http://artofbeingbook.com/ |archive-date=May 16, 2013 |access-date=September 22, 2014}} and New Way to be Human,{{cite web |title=New Way to Be Human: A Provocative Look at What It Means to Follow Jesus |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/shaw/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780877880714 |access-date=September 22, 2014 |work=WaterBrook Multnomah}} the latter written by producer Charlie Peacock.
= Fiction Family =
{{main|Fiction Family}}
In 2006, Foreman and Nickel Creek member Sean Watkins started collaborating on a duo project originally called "The Real SeanJon", which was later renamed "Fiction Family."{{cite web|url=http://www.nickelcreek.com/ |title=Nickel Creek official website |publisher=Nickelcreek.com |access-date=March 8, 2012}} Their self-titled debut, Fiction Family, was released on January 20, 2009.
"The album was recorded and written in parts because Nickel Creek and Switchfoot are both hard working, touring acts, we were rarely home from tour at the same time," said Foreman. "Consequently the tracks were passed back and forth between Sean and I. Whoever was home from tour would chip away at the songs with no real expectations at all, mainly just for ourselves and for the love of the song I suppose. We came up with a few cowboy rules for the project: No double tracking. No pussyfooting. No tuning of vocals."{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2008/10/exclusive-nickel-creek-switchfoot-members-start-new-band/ |title=Exclusive: Nickel Creek, Switchfoot Members Start New Band |date=October 3, 2008 |work=Spin |access-date=September 22, 2014}}
In November 2012, the band released an extended play titled Holiday EP. Their second studio album, Fiction Family Reunion, was released on January 29, 2013.
= Solo projects =
Foreman has also worked on various solo projects, independently releasing four EPs, titled Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, released by Credential Recordings and lowercase people records.[http://bandweblogs.com/blog/2007/11/27/jon-foreman-from-switchfoot-to-release-solo-eps-mp3/ Jon Foreman from Switchfoot to release solo EPs + MP3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080216144149/http://bandweblogs.com/blog/2007/11/27/jon-foreman-from-switchfoot-to-release-solo-eps-mp3/ |date=February 16, 2008 }} - Published November 27, 2007 (retrieved April 21, 2009) In October 2008, Foreman released Limbs and Branches, a collection of songs from the EPs along with two new tracks. In April 2009, he was GMA Dove Award-nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year.{{cite web |url=http://christianmusic.about.com/od/doves/a/09doves.htm |title=40th Annual Dove Awards Nominees & Winners |publisher=About.com |access-date=April 24, 2009 |author=Kim Jones |archive-date=September 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928205941/http://christianmusic.about.com/od/doves/a/09doves.htm |url-status=dead }}
In 2015, Foreman released the EPs Sunlight, Shadows, Darkness and Dawn, which contain 25 songs; one for each hour of the day with one extra.{{cite web|title=The Wonderlands, A Musical Planet of Songs for Every Hour of the Day|url=http://landofbrokenhearts1.org/archive/2015/01/the-wonderlands-a-musical-planet-of-songs-for-every-hour-of-the-day/|website=Land of Broken Hearts|access-date=March 11, 2015}} {{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.breathecast.com/articles/switchfoots-jon-foreman-reveals-plans-release-four-eps-2015-sunlight-21616/|title=Switchfoot's Jon Foreman Reveals Plans to Release Four EPs in 2015 – 'Sunlight, Shadows, Darkness and Dawn'|date=November 10, 2014|website=BREATHEcast|access-date=January 10, 2019}} Each song was produced by a different producer, with Foreman sending in tracks recorded backstage while on tour.{{cite web|url=https://rabbitroom.com/2016/01/jon-foreman-discusses-the-wonderlands-series/|title=The Rabbit Room - Jon Foreman Discusses The Wonderlands series|website=rabbitroom.com|date=January 25, 2016 |access-date=January 10, 2019}} They were mixed by Future of Forestry's Eric Owyoung.{{cite web|url=https://thecellary.com/2017/01/12/interview-with-future-of-forestrys-eric-owyoung/|title=No Limits on This Record: Interview with Future of Forestry|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=January 10, 2019|archive-date=September 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930084925/https://thecellary.com/2017/01/12/interview-with-future-of-forestrys-eric-owyoung/|url-status=dead}}
Foreman's debut solo album Departures was released in February 2021.{{Cite web |last=White, Logan |date=January 8, 2021 |title=Jon Foreman (Switchfoot) Announces Solo Album + Releases 3 New Songs |url=https://substreammagazine.com/2021/01/jon-foreman-switchfoot-announces-solo-album-releases-3-new-songs/ |access-date=January 8, 2021 |website=Substream Magazine}} The album featured collaborations with Lauren Daigle & Madison Cunningham.
Songwriting style
{{original research section|date=December 2015}}
Foreman's songwriting tends to be very dynamic, and he often employs a wide range of different instrumentation, including, but not limited to: guitar, violin, cello, trumpet, mandolin, sitar, flute, saxophone, clarinet, synthesizer, piano, miscellaneous percussion, and harmonica. Foreman has always aimed to use interesting instrumentation when writing for Switchfoot, mostly on some of the band's first albums such as The Legend of Chin, New Way to Be Human, and Learning to Breathe.
Solo discography
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2" | Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US Current {{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jon-foreman/chart-history/tcl/ | title=Jon Foreman Chart History: Top Current Albums | magazine=Billboard | access-date=March 12, 2021}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US |
|---|
| scope="row"| Departures
|
|| 60 || 12 |
| scope="row"| In Bloom
|
|| || |
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of extended plays, with selected chart positions and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="5" | Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US {{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jon-foreman/chart-history/tlp/ | title=Jon Foreman Chart History: Billboard 200 | magazine=Billboard | access-date=May 16, 2019}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US |
|---|
| scope="row"| Fall
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Winter
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Spring
|
|| —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|Spring (EP) did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 14 on the Top Digital Albums chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://billboard.com/music/jon-foreman/chart-history/digital-albums|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718020523/https://www.billboard.com/music/jon-foreman/chart-history/digital-albums|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 18, 2019|title=Jon Foreman Chart History: Top Digital Albums|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 17, 2019}}}} || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Summer
|
|| 162 || 6 || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| The Wonderlands: Sunlight
|
|| 104 || 2 || 9 || 11 || 2 |
| scope="row"| The Wonderlands: Shadows
|
|| —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|The Wonderlands: Shadows (EP) did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 89 on the Top Current Albums chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jon-foreman/chart-history/tcl/|title=Jon Foreman Chart History: Top Current Albums|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 17, 2019}}}} || 4 || 20 || 26 || 8 |
| scope="row"| The Wonderlands: Darkness
|
|| —{{efn|group=upper-alpha|The Wonderlands: Darkness (EP) did not enter the Billboard 200, but peaked at number 99 on the Top Album Sales chart.}} || 7 || 22 || 30 || 3 |
| scope="row"| The Wonderlands: Dawn
|
|| — || 11 || — || 35 || 6 |
| scope="row"| 25 IN 24{{cite web|url=https://jonforeman.com/collections/25-in-24-store/products/25-in-24-collectors-bundle?variant=3399998177301|title=25 IN 24 Collector's Bundle — Jon Foreman|access-date=July 17, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Doubt{{cite web|url=https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2020/11/24.JonForemanRepackagesandRe-ReleasesSoloEPsInPreparationforNewMusic.asp|title=Jon Foreman Repackages and Re-releases Solo EPs In Preparation for New Music|access-date=November 25, 2020}}
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Love
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Fear
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Belief
|
|| — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Departures (EP)
| || — || — || — || — || — |
= Box sets / compilation albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="2" | Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US Christ. ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | US |
|---|
| scope="row"| Fall & Winter
| || 33 || 24 |
| scope="row"| Spring & Summer
|
|| 34 || — |
| scope="row"| Limbs and Branches
|
|| 36 || — |
| scope="row"| The Wonderlands: Sunlight & Shadows
|
|| — || — |
| scope="row"| The Wonderlands: Darkness & Dawn
|
|| — || — |
= Singles =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
!style="width:3em; font-size:90%"|US |
| 2007
| align="left"|"The Cure for Pain" | — | Fall (EP) |
| 2008
| align="left"|"Your Love Is Strong" | — | Spring (EP) |
| 2015
| align="left"|"Caroline"{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} | — | The Wonderlands: Sunlight (EP) |
| 2016
| align="left"|"Your Love Is Enough (The Inland Mix)" | 12 | non-album single |
| 2021
| align="left"|"Side By Side" | — | Departures |
*Original version is on The Wonderlands: Shadows (EP)
= Other appearances =
- "Someday We'll Know" (New Radicals cover with Mandy Moore) – Sony – A Walk to Remember Soundtrack (2002)
- "Desire" – Noise Ratchet's Noise Ratchet [EP] (2003)
- "Spirit" – X Worship 2006 (Switchfoot) (2005)
- "Deathbed" – Relient K's Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007)
- "Do You Only Love The Ones Who Look Like You" – Molly Jenson's Maybe Tomorrow (2009)
- "Your Cheatin' Heart" (Hank Williams cover) – Sony/ATV Nashville Classic Covers: Volume One
- "Birthright" – Sleeping at Last's March EP (2011)
- "O Holy Night" - The Eagle and Child's Christmas, Volume II – EP (2017)
- "When the Walls Come Crashing Down" – Colony House (2020)
- "Don't Know If I Believe It" – Judah. (2020)
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|1=http://www.jonforeman.com}}
{{Jon Foreman}}
{{Switchfoot}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foreman, Jon}}
Category:American rock guitarists
Category:American male guitarists
Category:American rock singers
Category:Singers from California
Category:Musicians from San Diego
Category:Credential Recordings artists
Category:Guitarists from California