Jon McLaughlin

Biography

Jonathan McLaughlin (born September 27, 1982) is an American pop rock singer-songwriter, record producer and pianist from Anderson, Indiana. His debut album Indiana×Indiana1 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Industry4:022Beautiful Disaster4:143Just Give It Time3:464Already In3:565For You From Me3:356Human4:147Indiana3:498Anthem for American Teenagers5:549People3:4710Amelia's Missing2:4911Praying to the Wrong God4:0912Perfect4:2213Until You Got Love3:57Disc 21Conversations4:082Throwing a Line4:023Industry (live performance video) was released on May 1, 2007, preceded by his first EP Industry×Industry20 February 2007 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Industry4:012Beautiful Disaster4:113Praying to the Wrong God4:074Human4:13, also known as Jon McL, in February 2007. His most successful song is the 2008 single "Beating My Heart×Beating My Heart17 June 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Beating My Heart3:53", from his second album OK Now×OK Now7 October 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Beating My Heart3:532Four Years4:173You Can Never Go Back4:014Things That You Say3:135Middle4:366You Are the One I Love3:547Always on My Mind3:178Dance Your Life Away3:019Why I'm Talking to You4:5510Throw My Love Around4:3211We All Need Saving3:57.

Early life

McLaughlin grew up in Anderson, Indiana, playing piano since early childhood, though he disliked the lessons, and often sought to avoid them. While attending Highland High School, McLaughlin shattered both wrists in an accident that interrupted his musical career. Rediscovering "his muse," McLaughlin attended Anderson University to study music.

Career

In 2005, McLaughlin recorded an 8-song EP, Songs I Wrote and Later Recorded×Songs I Wrote and Later Recorded2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Conversations4:162Anthem for American Teenagers6:043Spot in Line5:244The Whole World4:085Love4:316One of Four4:377Places I Already Know3:568A Song You Might Hear in a Wedding5:45. Touring expanded to across the country as support continued to grow for the independent artist. He also increased his fan base by playing at Timber Wolf Lake, a Young Life camp, with his first album entitled Jon McLaughlin. He caught the attention of other independent artists and began touring with artists such as Dave Barnes and Matt Wertz.
In 2005, he signed with record label Island Records. Since then, McLaughlin increased his presence at well-established musical venues and festivals such as Feeling Better Than Everfine (Cleveland, OH), Waterfest (Oshkosh, WI), Milwaukee Summerfest (Milwaukee, WI), Northwest State College Fest (Archbold, OH) and Lollapalooza (Chicago, IL). He has toured with Kelly Clarkson, Adele, O.A.R., Sister Hazel, Cowboy Mouth, Paolo Nutini, and Marc Broussard.

Major label debut

After signing with Island Records, McLaughlin increased his public image by providing music for the NBC comedy Scrubs, episode "My Conventional Wisdom," on May 10, 2007. McLaughlin's song, "Human" was included in the episode. The same song appeared at the end of the episode "The Walk-In" of Ghost Whisperer. "Beautiful Disaster×Beautiful Disaster2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Beautiful Disaster4:14" can also be heard in the TV series A Little Thing Called Life in the season two episode titled "The Greatest and Worst Halloween Ever." "Beautiful Disaster" sold over 420,000 digital copies.
To date, three Hollywood-released films have included songs from McLaughlin. The song "Another Layer" appeared on the soundtrack for the motion picture Bridge to Terabithia and "Beautiful Disaster" is used in the 2007 film Georgia Rule. McLaughlin also made an on-screen appearance and performance of the song, "So Close" (written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz) in the Oscar-nominated Disney film Enchanted.
The song received an Oscar nomination. This led to McLaughlin performing at the 80th Academy Awards, which he attended with his wife Amy.

Rising fame, collaborations, Academy Awards

McLaughlin opened on Kelly Clarkson's My December Tour beginning in October 2007, a role announced on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 7, 2007. He has also toured extensively with similarly styled and popular singer-songwriter, Sara Bareilles.
He recorded a trio with Jason Mraz and Van Hunt for the Randy Jackson duets-album Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1. The track title is "Something to Believe In". McLaughlin's "Human" is also heard in TV Promos for CBS series' Flashpoint.
In 2007, McLaughlin appeared as himself in the film Enchanted starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey singing "So Close", which led to a performance at the 2008 Academy Awards. In 2010, the song was used in Disney California Adventure's World of Color show.
McLaughlin's version of "Smack Into You", written and produced by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, was leaked to the internet in 2008, but did not appear on OK Now. Beyoncé eventually covered the song and it was featured on her album I Am... Sasha Fierce, re-titled as "Smash Into You".
In June 2008, McLaughlin premiered "Beating My Heart×Beating My Heart17 June 2008 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Beating My Heart3:53", which was released to mainstream radio on July 22, 2008, prior to being sent to Hot Adult Contemporary (Hot AC) on June 10. "Beating My Heart", first single from his second studio album OK Now×OK Now7 October 2008 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Beating My Heart3:532Four Years4:173You Can Never Go Back4:014Things That You Say3:135Middle4:366You Are the One I Love3:547Always on My Mind3:178Dance Your Life Away3:019Why I'm Talking to You4:5510Throw My Love Around4:3211We All Need Saving3:57, is available with the rest of the album for download on iTunes and Amazon. The song was praised by Billboard single reviews editor Chuck Taylor, who wrote that "It's high time for singer/songwriter Jon McLaughlin to earn his due." He followed this with a description of the song as "a joyous uptempo romantic romp, featuring hook after hook, from tinkling piano to driving percussion and a start-and-stop bridge, alongside a joyous effortless vocal that soars with falsetto to the high heavens. The accompanying video is simple enough, but effectively illustrates McLaughlin's charms as a palatable sex symbol. "Heart" pumps with instantaneous hit potential, and proper promotion of it could propel the artist to superstar status."
McLaughlin co-wrote "Every Time You Lie" and "Falling Over Me" with Demi Lovato for Lovato's second album Here We Go Again in 2009. The latter was originally a duet, but the final version only featured McLaughlin's backing vocals.

Label changes, independent, and new ventures

McLaughlin self-financed and released his third studio album, Forever If Ever×Forever If Ever6 September 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Without You Now2A Little Too Hard (& A Little Too Fast)3Summer Is Over4Promising Promises5If Only I6Maybe It's Over7What I Want8I'll Follow You9You Are What I'm Here For10I Brought This on Myself11My Girl Tonight12These Crazy Times, on September 6, 2011. He later signed to record label Razor & Tie and re-released the album as Promising Promises×Promising Promises22 May 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Promising Promises4:442You Never Know4:303Summer Is Over (feat. Sara Bareilles)5:014The Atmosphere3:505What I Want3:506I'll Follow You4:337Maybe It's Over (feat. Xenia)4:158If Only I5:269Falling4:1310Without You Now4:1011My Girl Tonight3:5512These Crazy Times / Wool Over Eyes9:54Disc 21Promising Promises (Piano Version)5:092Summer Is Over (Piano Version)5:123If Only I (Piano Version)5:074These Crazy Times (Piano Version)4:45 on May 22, 2012, remastering all the tracks and adding three new songs. The first single from the album, "Summer is Over×Summer Is Over10 January 2012 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Summer Is Over4:58," featured Sara Bareilles and was released on January 10, 2012.
In July 2013, McLaughlin launched a campaign with PledgeMusic, allowing listeners to actively be involved with the making of his new album. The album, Holding My Breath×Holding My Breath24 September 2013 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Above The Radio4:472Hallelujah5:163Doesn't Mean Goodbye3:494Anybody Else5:355Oh Jesus3:356Broken Hearted5:107Fire Away4:368Oh!3:579Imaginary Tea4:2510The Truth4:4511Throw It On The Fire6:0212At Night2:08, was released on September 24, 2013, and debuted at No. 26 on the Billboard Independent Albums and No. 141 Billboard 200 charts. It was preceded by the singles "Hallelujah" and "Doesn't Mean Goodbye."
Additionally, he released a set of short films on his YouTube channel ahead of the album's release.
On February 15, 2014, McLaughlin was the opening act for Billy Joel at The Palace of Auburn Hills, (Auburn Hills, Michigan) in addition to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada stop on March 9, 2014.
In 2015, he announced a new album Like Us×Like Us9 October 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1The Beginning1:05A2Before You3:44A3Down in History4:20A4I Am Always Gonna Love You3:30A5Don't Mess With My Girl3:26A6I Want You Anyway3:52B1Thank God3:50B2More Than Me3:40B3You and I2:57B4Let Go4:36B5Walk Away6:46 with the premiere of his single "Before You" in July. A follow-up single "I Want You Anyway" was released in September. The album Like Us was released on October 9, 2015.
In 2017, he opened for Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox and Straight No Chaser's "Double Feature" Tour. He also began a new Patreon series called "Dueling Pianos." The following year, he announced a new single "Lost" which preceded his next album Angst & Grace×Angst & Grace9 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Lost3:322If You Want Somebody3:183I Write Her a Song Every Day3:124Still My Girl3:545You Don't Talk About Me3:366The Way She Is4:017New Day3:408Sweet Maria4:139Get You Back3:1210Oh My Love4:5211Give All My Love (Back)3:3812Speechless3:57 which was released on November 9, 2018.

Personal life

McLaughlin and his wife, Amy, have two daughters.