Who is Jon Black

as long as you don’t judge me for wearing my guts on the outside, i won’t judge you for this one, tiny, personal post.

i don’t know about everyone else, but i find i’m really drawn to music with lyrics that tie up my insides. that’s why i listen to artists like patty, ryan adams, and the beatles. two of my favorite song quotes are the most intense lyrics i’ve ever heard:

“i need moses, to part this sea of loneliness, to cross this red river of pain”

“i fucked you over a million times and you died.”

“i used to be cruel to my woman i beat her and kept her away from the things that she loved. Used to be mean but i’m changing my scene. i’m doing the best that i can. have to admit it’s getting better, it’s getting better all the time…”

rest in the truth that as long as this earth is crying out for jesus, the clamor for hope will always drive people to music. if you need more explanation, go read btm’s last blog about red mountain.

something told me to check your blog today. as humorous as our conversation was last night, i felt maybe (just maybe) there might be something different today. i really liked reading it and i love lauren and you. and anything i have to say about this post, i will probably say in person. as i am a no good blog voyeur. just wanted to say “thanks for sharing your big ole heart jon black”. ha. you should know who this is. if not, i should assume you forget anything discussed in the past 15 hours.

Jon,

The more I get to know you, the more I like you. I hope Lauren finds the best job ever, right here in this town.

And we’ve talked about some of this stuff before, and we will again, and in the meantime this is what I want to tell you:

1. writing songs is hard. 2. letting people hear your songs is like taking off all of your clothes and letting them tell you what they think about your naked body. 3. your new record is a good record, particularly banks of jordan, nothing but a fire, broken places, and drove to knoxville. 4. I wish I wrote “nothing but a fire”. 5. someday soon you and me are going to make record some songs together and it is going to be beautiful. 6. sometime soon I want to continue the conversation we started last week in the car (about church music).

I’m glad you do what you do, jon. And all that tension about music and record sales and wondering if people will connect with your music. Gosh I’ve been there and I think in some ways I’m always there. But at the end of the day, you don’t make records for other people, you know? You just record the songs you have. In some ways, you just record the songs you’ve been given. You know? Maybe I’m wrong about that. maybe none of that makes any sense. I think I’m really just trying to say that your songs are worth writing, worth recording, worth being heard. And I hope you keep writing songs for a long time.

have you got your album artwork yet? Still need a photo of something bright and broken?

Liz - I really think we’re in the minority regarding what music means and communicates to us. I was talking with my friend Anna about it the other day and we both can’t imagine a world where music doesn’t speak truth, pain, and every other emotion into our lives. Music truly is a gift… and no judgment from my end

“anonymous” - grow some balls and post under your real name. Just kidding. I’m glad you liked the post and I honestly believe that the things you have to say about this you will/would say to my face… or at least you’d say them to my face and then watch a movie with Lauren.

BTM - I really think I’m trying to learn what it means to honestly just write songs for me. I feel that these songs on the new record are for me… they’re reminders of my broken condition. I hope people connect with it and not in a “sell more records way” but in a “Damn, my soul is better for hearing I’m not alone.” I agree that our conversation about Christianity and music needs to continue.

I’m glad I checked your page today. I hardly ever stop by anyone’s blog anymore.

I agree that music needs deeper meaning. If it doesn’t move me I won’t listen to it. I haven’t listened to the radio in years. The songs that I listen to over and over are the ones that move me and make me re-think my life or the ones that relate to what I am going through. I love pulling songs apart and figuring out the meaning behind the song.

I don’t know your whole story behind your past year. I know mine has been a though one and I wouldn’t wish what I have been through on the worse person I know. I’ve learned that my hardest moments this past year God was there holding me even though I felt left for the dead. I’ve learned that we are all broken, because if we are not then what would be our need for God. Struggling with faith is normal and it helps us to grow in our faith.

I like your song. It fits where and I am right now in my life. If you throw it up on Myspace I’ll add it to my page.

Jon,

I think I told you a couple of weeks ago how much I dig that song. That’s some next level stuff.

As far as Paul, grace, feeling unworthy and all that? It just so happens I was teaching a Sunday School class about Romans 5 a month ago (conveniently enough my friend Kirk brought a relative who’s an ordained minister, but that’s another story for another day), so let’s see what Paul had to say in Romans 5:1-5:5, shall we?

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Not to get all biblical on you or anything. Peace.

Jon,

I read this a few days ago, and i’ve been trying to come up with something to say to it, something that might help, or something that might inspire. i sort of float in and out of the same place a lot (depending on how honest i’m being with myself at the time) so, i know how it feels, and i know that sometimes, there just aren’t words. in spite of that, here are some other things i know:

-you write great music. the kind of music that really speaks to me, be it a challenge, a comfort, or a commiseration. if, like some of the other people have said here, you’re next album is that much better than your past ones, it’s gonna be truly spectacular, and i can’t wait to hear it.

-you’re a stronger braver person than most, myself included. you took a step in faith to do what God created you to do. I’m still sitting in Cubeworld, doing the furthest thing from what God created me to do (like the placement of a checkbox is gonna matter eternally, or bring people closer to God) I know what i should do, but i just can’t take that step. i admire you for that.

-i think what matters to God, regarding our relationship with him, is not where we are, or what we do, but rather where we want to be, and what we want to do. we live in a dirty, manipulative fallen world with dirty, manipulative fallen minds and bodies. But i think that the tears of sorrow God shed for those times when we try to find hope elsewhere are nothing compared to the tears of joy he has when we come back around and realize that it’s really Him that we need.

so, those are my thoughts. drop me a line if you want to talk about it more. you should still know where to reach me, and you should still know that emailing is a great way to put off the things i should be doing instead.

Bruin