Son Of John walk through that Lonely Door for their latest single — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
An Americana gem with elements of traditional bluegrass, the B.C. father-son duo’s latest single is a tale of love, loss and longing that hits close to home, says dad and frontman Johnny P. Johnson.
“The song originated with my father commenting on the loss of his wife, my mother: ‘Things don’t matter much anymore.’ That’s the line that sparked the idea,” he says. “However, the song isn’t explicitly about that of course. It is about someone who realizes the mistakes he made in life and the pain it has caused, thereby creating the analogy of walking through a lonely door.”
Son and multi-instrumentalist Javan Johnson adds the song has taken on new meaning in these pandemic times: “It’s relevant in today’s world of being lonely and not being able to see loved ones. We recorded this song in November 2019, and at that time we lived in a completely different world. If we were lonely, we could just call up a friend and go for a beer or visit them in their home without worrying if we had our mask or remembered the latest restrictions of social gatherings or physical distancing. We could shake hands, hug, and enjoy the company of others; catch a movie, or a hockey game.
“When my dad wrote the song several years ago, we had no idea that we’d be releasing the song in 2021, after a year where people endured a world where being lonely had taken on a whole new meaning. We just want people to know that you’re not alone in that feeling of loneliness, and we’ll walk back through the lonely door together when this is all done.”
The Castlegar country/roots duo have been doing things together for a while now. Johnny P. and Javan have been playing music for over a decade. They released their debut single Country Pure in 2019 — and premiered the video with Tinnitist, naturally. Shortly after, Javan was nominated for Fiddle/Mandolin Player of the Year at the BC Country Music Awards, while Son of John scored their first BCCMA nomination for Traditional Country/Roots Artist of the Year.
Son of John don’t quite fit the mold — on purpose. Country runs deep in their veins, with Johnny actively farming each year on the Saskatchewan prairies where he was born and raised, while Javan grew up on the family farm in rural B.C. Son of John’s music is just as real, grounded in their true-to-life lyrics and the rootsy instrumentation of fiddle, mandolin, banjos and dobros. With or without their full band, their live show can bring the two-step to the party, or they can croon with harmonies only the same DNA can create.
Listen to Lonely Door above and connect with Son of John on their website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
