Jon Guerra

Last updated

Jon Guerra
Birth nameJonathan Allen Guerra
Born Whittier, California
OriginChicago, Illinois
Genres Contemporary Christian music, baroque pop, worship
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active2011–present
LabelsDescendant, Essential
Website jonguerramusic.com

Jonathan Guerra is an American devotional music singer-songwriter. His first record label release was an extended play, Glass, released in 2014 by Essential Records (Sony). His first record label studio album, Little Songs , was released in 2015 through Essential Records. His second release, Keeper of Days, was released in 2020. His third studio album of devotional music, Ordinary Ways , was released in 2023. He has also recorded for film.

Contents

Early life

Guerra was born Jonathan Allen Guerra, in Whittier, California in September 1985. [1] [2] Guerra's father is Alberto Guerra and mother is Monica Guerra (née, Barrionuevo), who were married in 1980 in Harris County, Texas in the City of Houston. [3] His parents moved to the Los Angeles area in California, where Jon was born. [4] [5] After Jon's birth, they moved to Houston, where he grew up until he was twelve years old. [4] [5] His parents then settled in Wheaton, Illinois. Jon then moved to Chicago, Illinois. [4] [5] [6]

Music career

His music career began when Guerra was in high school. After college, he started a Chicago-based band called Milano, a "gypsy prog-rock" indie group with co-members Valerie Strattan Guerra, Steve Enison, Justin Ferwerda, Hans Moscicke, and Alissa Strattan, [7] which broke up in 2013 after having created three studio albums [8] (several singles of which were remixed by EMD artist Hanzel). [9] Guerra continued writing, recording, and playing both independent and commercial music, and in 2011, Guerra began releasing a series of Christmas songs with his wife. Guerra would also release an independent project in 2013 under the moniker JAGUERRA, a full-length album called Hue which was released as an early Vinyl Me Please subscription selection. [10]

Guerra's next releases would be under Essential Records that, at the time, had a distribution deal with Sony Music. First, a quiet release of an extended play, Working Demos, that found an audience on NoiseTrade. Next was Jon Guerra's debut extended play, Glass, released on June 3, 2014. [11] This would be the precursor to his first major label full length album, released on April 21, 2015, Little Songs , with Essential Records (Sony). [12] Little Songs was Jon Guerra's breakthrough release on the Billboard magazine charts, peaking on the Heatseekers chart at No. 17, placing at No. 24 on the Folk Albums chart, and placing on Christian Albums at No. 35. [13]

Jon Guerra and his wife, Valerie, released their first full-length Christmas album, It's Almost Christmas (Jon & Valerie Guerra) in 2015, with Sony's Descendant Records and toured with Amy Grant and Vince Gill's Christmas at the Ryman in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, Jon & Valerie started their official musical duo, Praytell, and they released a handful of singles as well as another full-length Christmas album, It's Almost Christmas, Vol. 2, in 2018. Guerra released Working Demos 2 EP in 2017. [14]

In April 2020, Guerra released his second full-length album of devotional music, Keeper of Days. [15] [16] [17] Reviews of the album say that Keeper of Days "is one of the best Christian records I've heard in years". [18] Guerra self-produced the album, with strings by his wife, Valerie Strattan Guerra. [19] Guerra describes his "devotional music" as "less Sunday morning worship music and more Monday morning prayer music." [20]

In May 2023, Guerra released his third devotional music album, Ordinary Ways, to widespread critical acclaim. Reviews of Ordinary Ways say it is "absolutely timeless," [21] "Listening to this album feels like praying," [22] and "The psalm-like sonic prayers of Ordinary Ways are an extraordinary gift." [23] Guerra again self-produced his album, with his long-time musical collaborator, his wife, Valerie, on strings. [24] He "continues to be a voice in modern CCM worth listening to." [25]

He also composed additional music for Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life (2019). [26]

Personal life

Guerra is married to Valerie Strattan Guerra, and together they reside and make music in Austin, Texas. [4] [5]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions [13]
US
Christ [27] 		US
Folk [28] 		US
Heat [29]
Little Songs
  • Released: April 21, 2015
  • Label: Essential
  • CD, digital download, vinyl
352117
Keeper of Days
  • Released: April 24, 2020
  • digital stream
———
Ordinary Ways
  • Released: May 12, 2023
  • Label: Thorndale Records
  • CD, digital download, vinyl
———

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References

  1. ↑ California Birth Index. "Jonathan Allen Guerra, Born 09/19/1985 in California". California Birth Index. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  2. ↑ Broadcast Music, Inc. "Songwriter/Composer: GUERRA JONATHAN ALLEN". Broadcast Music, Inc. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Marriage of Monica V Barrionuevo (b. 1960) and Alberto Guerra (b. 1955)". Texas Marriage Index. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 New Release Tuesday. "Jon Guerra Artist Profile". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Vinyl Me, Please. "JAGUERRA". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  6. ↑ Cummings, Tony (March 3, 2016). "Jon Guerra: The Vertical Church man trying to craft beautiful art". Cross Rhythms . Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Milano". September 19, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Milano" . Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Festival - Jon Guerra (HANZEL REMIX) [milano]" . Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  10. ↑ "hue by JAGUERRA". Discogs . Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ New Release Tuesday. "Glass EP by Jon Guerra". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  12. ↑ Jesus Freak Hideout (April 21, 2015). "Jon Guerra, "Little Songs" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Chart search for Jon Guerra at billboard.com/biz
  14. ↑ Working Demos 2, February 28, 2017, retrieved February 12, 2019
  15. ↑ Guerra, Brett McCracken • Jon (May 2020). "Jon Guerra's 'Monday Morning Prayer Music'". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Jesusfreakhideout.com: Jon Guerra, "Keeper of Days" Review". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Sound of Silence: Jon Guerra's New Album, Keeper of Days". Mockingbird. April 30, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  18. ↑ Guerra, Brett McCracken • Jon (May 2020). "Jon Guerra's 'Monday Morning Prayer Music'". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Jon Guerra on Instagram: ""Keeper of Days" my new album of devotional music is available for streaming everywhere! This record means so much to me. So much time and…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  20. ↑ Guerra, Brett McCracken • Jon (May 1, 2020). "Jon Guerra's 'Monday Morning Prayer Music'". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  21. ↑ McCracken, Brett (May 12, 2023). "Jon Guerra's 'Ordinary Ways' Is a God-Centered Masterpiece". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  22. ↑ Brewer, Todd (May 11, 2023). "An Earnest, Reverent, Vulnerable Love". Mockingbird. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  23. ↑ McCracken, Brett (May 12, 2023). "Jon Guerra's 'Ordinary Ways' Is a God-Centered Masterpiece". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  24. ↑ McCracken, Brett (May 12, 2023). "Jon Guerra's 'Ordinary Ways' Is a God-Centered Masterpiece". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Jesusfreakhideout.com: Jon Guerra, "Ordinary Ways" Review". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  26. ↑ A Hidden Life (2019) - IMDb , retrieved August 14, 2020
  27. ↑ "Jon Guerra – Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Jon Guerra – Chart History (Folk Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Jon Guerra – Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved July 15, 2015.
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