Jonathan Mark Foreman (born October 22, 1976) 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.Interview with Todd Cooper Cooper was later a guitar tech for the band 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. Foreman attended UC San Diego and later dropped out to follow his singing career.
Foreman married Emily Masen in 2002, and the couple had a daughter in 2012. Jon Foreman Bio The couple welcomed their second child, a son, in June 2018.
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."
Foreman's father, Mark, served as the senior pastor of North Coast Calvary Chapel in Carlsbad, California. His mother is Jan (née Carlton).
Influences
Foreman cites Elliott Smith, U2, The Police, James Taylor, The Beatles, Radiohead, J.S. Bach, Ronny Jordan, Miles Davis, Keith Green, Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin as some of his musical influences.QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GUYS 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.Switchfoot
Side projects
Foreman has made musical contributions away from Switchfoot, including writing with Molly Jenson. 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. 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." Foreman has also contributed to the books The Art of Being and New Way to be Human, the latter written by producer Charlie Peacock.
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." 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."
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.Jon Foreman from Switchfoot to release solo EPs + MP3 - 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.
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. Each song was produced by a different producer, with Foreman sending in tracks recorded backstage while on tour. They were mixed by Future of Forestry's Eric Owyoung.
Foreman's debut solo album Departures was released in February 2021. The album featured collaborations with Lauren Daigle & Madison Cunningham.
Songwriting style
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 + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions USCurrent USChrist. Departures Released: February 12, 2021 Label: lowercase people/Capitol CMG
Format: Digital download, streaming 60 12 In Bloom Releases: May 31, 2024 Label: lowercase people/Capitol CMG
Format: Digital download, streaming — —
Extended plays + List of extended plays, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions US USChrist. USAlt. USRock USFolk Fall Released: November 20, 2007 Label: Credential Recordings Format: Digital download — — — — — Winter Released: January 15, 2008 Label: Credential Format: Digital download — — — — — Spring Released: March 25, 2008 Label: lowercase people/Credential Format: Digital download — — — — — Summer Released: June 10, 2008 Label: Credential Format: Digital download 162 6 — — — The Wonderlands: Sunlight Released: May 26, 2015 Label: lowercase people Formats: Digital download 104 2 9 11 2 The Wonderlands: Shadows Released: July 17, 2015 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — 4 20 26 8 The Wonderlands: Darkness Released: September 4, 2015 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — 7 22 30 3 The Wonderlands: Dawn Released: October 23, 2015 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — 11 — 35 6 25 IN 24 Released: March 30, 2016 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — — — — — Doubt Released: November 24, 2020 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — — — — — Love Released: December 1, 2020 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — — — — — Fear Released: December 8, 2020 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — — — — — Belief Released: December 16, 2020 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — — — — — Departures (EP) Released: January 8, 2021 Label: lowercase people Format: Digital download — — — — —
Box sets / compilation albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions USChrist. USHeat. Fall & Winter Released: January 15, 2008 Label: Credential Formats: CD, vinyl 33 24 Spring & Summer Released: June 24, 2008 Label: Credential Formats: CD, vinyl 34 — Limbs and Branches Released: October 28, 2008 Label: Credential Formats: CD, digital download 36 — The Wonderlands: Sunlight & Shadows label: lowercase people Formats: CD — — The Wonderlands: Darkness & Dawn label: lowercase people Formats: CD — —
Singles Year Title Peak chart positions AlbumUSChrist.AC 2007"The Cure for Pain" — Fall (EP) 2008"Your Love Is Strong" — Spring (EP) 2015"Caroline" — The Wonderlands: Sunlight (EP) 2016"Your Love Is Enough (The Inland Mix)" 12 non-album single 2021"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) "Mortal" - "Mytho X (Greene Edit)" - 'Nu En Jin' (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) "YOUR LOVE IS STRONG (live from the holy city)" - Brandon Lake (2024)
Notes
References
External links