Jon Athans Project (Jonathan Pretz) is an American singer/songwriter and musician from Reading, Pennsylvania. A combination of influences from the classic 60s and 70s songwriters he was raised on, like James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon, and many modern writers from the last few decades like Josh Ritter, Tom Hamilton, Sufjan Stevens and Jeff Tweedy, gives his music equal dashes of indie, folk, rock and Americana. While one foot is firmly planted as an acoustic singer and songwriter, make no mistake, the other is tapping along to a unique, full backup band.
“For 20 years I’ve been pretending I was going to make a record. 2020 was a year of dramatic change, isolation, custody, and love. I had not written a song in over a decade. I wrote 23 songs during the last six months of 2020. Eight made the cut. They are autobiographical, chronological and honest. I’d like to introduce my band, Jon Athans Project, and a record I’ve poured myself into, when not virtual schooling my kids, for the last 10 months. Coming late May.”
On “In Good Company,” Pretz sweetly lays out the opening moments of courtship, all with a bright tone and melancholy optimism. Below, Pretz details the layered influences behind this song and his album.
Who are some of your musical influences?
I’m 39 so my influences have shifted around over the years. I think that has a bit to do with my style too. I spent a lot of time listening to the classic singer-songwriters from the 60s and 70s. Writers like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and James Taylor were heavy hitters for me when I was a kid. They still are. I also love so many modern writers like Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab), Sufjan Steven, Josh Ritter, Tom Hamilton (American Babies). Toss in some incredible bands like The Band, Phish and The Grateful Dead and I’m a happy man.
Explain the title of your album.
20/20 is the album title for a few reasons. The concept for the album art uses the 20/20 with my thick glasses to show the title in and out of focus. 2020 was an incredibly difficult year for everyone. Personally, I went through a variety of dramatic changes with family, sharing custody, isolation and a new relationship. I struggled a bit with the title because the 2020 portion seemed too cliche. Ultimately, I decided to embrace it because of how impactful and unique the year truly was, how my spectacles are the main imagery on the cover and such a giant part of my identity, and the idea of hindsight and 20/20 vision was just perfect.
What’s the first concert you ever attended? What do you remember about it?
The first concert I ever attended was The Beach Boys and Chicago. It rained so hard that day but they just kept on playing. It was a great experience for my parents to take me to. I had loved, but not truly understood, Brian Wilson’s harmonies and those amazing songs. His talent has blown me away more and more the old I get. Incredible songs. Incredible writer. I don’t think The Beach Boys are given enough credit.
Who would you love to collaborate with? Why?
I love so many writers for so many different reasons. I think if I could work with any of the modern writers I have studied and enjoyed for so long, it would have to be either Sufjan Stevens or Josh Ritter. Sufjan continues to push the boundaries of production in a way that just fascinates me. Josh Ritter just keeps pounding out classic singer-songwriter Americana that keeps me smiling and pushes my own writing.
What’s a recent release you cannot stop listening to?
I’m still pretty into The Avett Brothers’ The Third Gleam. Those guys blow me away. Two of the best writers of our time.
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first? Why?
My process is a bit weird I guess. Maybe not? Most of the time I’ll be just strumming the guitar. I find something that sounds interesting and I’ll just start repeating it over and over again. Eventually I’ll start mumbling out some free association lyrics. Lots of times those free association words become major components to the song, if not the main hook of the song and I build the rest around it. One of my challenges it trying to separate from them when I’m writing and not get stuck, while also maybe embracing it a bit too.
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