Jon Davison

Last updated

Jon Davison
Jon Davison 2023.jpg
Davison performing in 2023 at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland
Background information
Also known asJuano Davison
Born (1971-01-16) January 16, 1971 (age 52)
Laguna Beach, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
Years active1991–present
Member of
  • Yes
  • Arc of Life
Formerly of

Jon Davison (born January 16, 1971) is an American singer, musician and songwriter who has been the lead vocalist of progressive rock band Yes since 2012.

Contents

He was previously the lead singer of progressive rock band Glass Hammer from 2009 to 2014, and the bass guitarist of Sky Cries Mary from 1993 to 2016, in which he was credited under his nickname of "Juano" Davison. In 2020, he and fellow Yes member Billy Sherwood created a new band, Arc of Life, which released its eponymous first studio album the following year and its second album in 2022. Davison also works regularly with John Lodge, who is also his father-in-law.

Career

Early years

Davison's earliest involvement with music began when he sang in the church youth choir led by his mother. From an early age, she instilled in him an appreciation for music and love for singing. Soon after, he took up guitar and bass, which eventually led him during High School to perform in various original and cover bands with his childhood best friend, Taylor Hawkins (who was later the drummer for Foo Fighters). [1] It was Hawkins who gave Jon the nickname "Juano" that has stuck to this day.

Sky Cries Mary

Davison then attended the Art Institute of Seattle to study audio and video production where he became bassist for Northwest group Sky Cries Mary. Throughout the 1990s, he continued recording and touring with the band. This included traveling to Japan, and appearing on late night talk shows including Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Daily Show .

In 2001, Davison and his then wife Maewe moved for a year to her home of Brazil. While living there, Davison played bass with Ronald Augusto.

In November 26, 2016, Sky Cries Mary premiered a new line-up without Davison.

Glass Hammer

While still a member of Sky Cries Mary, Davison also joined the now-disbanded Yes tribute band Roundabout. In 2009, Glass Hammer discovered Davison singing Yes music online and asked him to join the band. He went on to record five albums with them, If , Cor Cordium , Perilous , a new version of The Inconsolable Secret and Ode to Echo . He was the lead vocalist on the first three, and sharing that role on Ode to Echo given his engagements with Yes; he subsequently left the band to focus on Yes.

On the 2018 Cruise to the Edge festival, Davison performed live with Glass Hammer as a guest; as Glass Hammer was mainly a studio project when he was a member, it marked the first time he performed with them live. [2]

He guested on one track of Glass Hammer's 2022 album At the Gate. [3]

Yes

Davison performing in 2013 Jon Davison Beacon Theater 2013-04-09 4.jpg
Davison performing in 2013

In February 2012, Davison was announced as the new lead singer of Yes, replacing Benoît David, who left the group because of illness. [4] "Strangely enough, Jon's name came up when we started working with Benoit," Yes bassist Chris Squire recalled. "In fact, my friend, Taylor Hawkins, had been telling me for years: 'If you ever need a replacement (singer), I know exactly the guy.'" [5] Davison has described how the band had a tour booked when David dropped out, "so there was sort of this frantic race to resolve this matter [...] because they weren't going to back out of the tour. So in the same moment, perhaps even the same hour, of the same day, Chris is calling Taylor to get my phone number, because he's gonna give me a call, and then the manager is also working on contacting me, so I got contacted by both of them." [6]

Davison has toured with Yes since joining the band, and sang lead on 2014's studio album Heaven & Earth . He wrote or co-wrote seven out of the eight tracks. [7]

In July 2020, Davison said the band were at work writing their next album, stating that it was still in the early stages of compiling demos, but the band has half an album of material ready. [8] The Quest , Yes's second studio album to feature lead vocals by Davison, was released in October 2021. A new album, Mirror to the Sky , was released in May 2023. [9]

Work with John Lodge

In February 2019, during the Cruise to the Edge music cruise, Davison became friends on board with John Lodge of the Moody Blues when Davison began dating John's daughter Emily. Davison has since toured with John as an additional vocalist. [10] He appears on Lodge's live album The Royal Affair And After. [11]

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Davison provided backing vocals on Lodge's single, "In These Crazy Times". Lodge wrote and recorded the song in his home studio, and Jon appears alongside John's son, Kristian, and his wife, Kirsten. Emily managed the project. [12]

As of 2022, Davison and Emily are engaged. [11]

Other

Davison and drummer Taylor Hawkins were friends from childhood. In 2015, Davison appeared at a Foo Fighters concert, playing with Hawkins, to perform the Rush song "Tom Sawyer" with them. [13] In August 2019, Davison joined the Foo Fighters in concert in Dublin, Ireland to sing the Queen song "Under Pressure" with Taylor Hawkins while Dave Grohl took over on drums. [14] He performed at the Los Angeles tribute show to Hawkins in 2022. [15]

In July 2020, Davison described a new side project with fellow Yes member Billy Sherwood and Yes touring drummer Jay Schellen called Arc of Life. Their self-titled debut album was released the following year on February 12, 2021. [8] Featuring vocalist Jon Davison, bassist/vocalist Billy Sherwood, drummer Jay Schellen, keyboardist Dave Kerzner, and guitarist Jimmy Haun, their second album Don't Look Down was released on 18 November 2022. [16]

Davison has worked more broadly with Kerzner, including singing in his In Continuum project. [17]

Discography

Arc of Life

Glass Hammer

Sky Cries Mary

Yes

Studio albums
Live albums

Guest appearances

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References

  1. ↑ "JonDavison". glasshammer.com.
  2. ↑ Medina, Scott (February 16, 2018). "Cruise to the Edge 2018: The Successful Reinvention Of A Progressive Rock Festival". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Watch Yes' Jon Davison make a cameo in Glass Hammer's new video All Alone". October 14, 2022.
  4. ↑ "HeadBanger.ru - YES Recruit New Singer". www.headbanger.ru. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
  5. ↑ Varga, George. "Singer happy to be a (new) Yes man".
  6. ↑ "Yes Singer Jon Davison Discusses New Album 'Heaven & Earth' And All Things Prog-Rock [INTERVIEW]". International Business Times . August 8, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Heaven & Earth - YES". yesworld.com. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  8. 1 2 https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-edfdt-e462f3%7CE6%5B%5D: Jon Davison - Interview Sessions With The Singer For Legendary Prog/Rock Band - Yes
  9. ↑ "Yes – Mirror To The Sky: "the best Yes album in more than 20 years"". May 19, 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Moody Blues' John Lodge launches US solo tour Saturday featuring special guest Jon Davison of Yes - Music News - ABC News Radio". Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Jon Davison of Yes … Continuing with the Quest !!". January 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Moody Blues' John Lodge Releases Family-Driven Single 'In These Crazy Times'". Forbes .
  13. ↑ "Foo Fighters cover Rush's 'Tom Sawyer' with Yes singer Jon Davison - watch - NME". NME. September 21, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  14. ↑ "WATCH: Foo Fighters cover three Thin Lizzy classics in tribute to Phil Lynott's 70th birthday". JOE.ie. August 22, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Here's every song and special guest appearance from the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in Los Angeles". September 28, 2022.
  16. ↑ plastichead.com > Arc of Life - Don't Look Down
  17. ↑ https://www.incontinuumband.com/ [ bare URL ]
  18. ↑ "Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins announces new album, featuring Dave Grohl, Chrissie Hynde, and more". October 15, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Pink Floyd's Animals reimagined by host of prog stars". October 9, 2021.
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