Biography
Johnathan Rice first noticed the distinctive character of his singing voice at sixteen, when a weathered, rustic tone emerged as he experimented with imitating artists he admired, among them Joni Mitchell, the Band, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan. The unexpected discovery led him to treat songwriting as more than a passing interest. Although he had spent most of his upbringing in Glasgow, Rice returned to his birthplace of Virginia to focus on music. After receiving his high school diploma in May 2001, he connected with Washington, D.C. resident Chris Keup of Grantham Dispatch. He also told his parents he would skip college and instead head to New York City in hopes of securing a recording contract; they responded with mixed reactions yet agreed to give him one year to pursue the goal.
Three months later Keup’s independent label put out Rice’s debut EP, Heart and Mind. While holding down assorted jobs as a waiter, telemarketer, and dog walker, Rice performed regularly on the Lower East Side. He absorbed the city’s atmosphere and kept writing steadily, though the circumstances remained far from glamorous. By spring 2002 he had played enough shows to buy a bus ticket home. Preparing himself to enter college life upon reaching Virginia, he received an unexpected call from Warner Bros./Reprise, whose interest in Heart and Mind led them to offer him a deal. After brief hesitation he signed, joining a roster that already included his heroes Young, Mitchell, and Lou Reed, and he returned to New York.
Over the next two years Rice worked to gather a set of songs that would satisfy both himself and the label. During this period he released the independently issued Tin Can Love EP. In fall 2003 he and producer/engineer Mike Mogis recorded fifteen demo tracks at Presto! in Lincoln, Nebraska, material originally intended for Trouble Is Real. Rice set that project aside long enough to issue Extended Player 24:26 in spring 2004. Trouble Is Real finally appeared in spring 2005. His next studio album, Further North, followed in 2007. One year later he produced Jenny Lewis’ second solo album, Acid Tongue. Rice and Lewis subsequently formed the duo Jenny & Johnny, whose first album came out in 2010. Rice’s third long-player, Good Graces, was released in October 2013.
Three months later Keup’s independent label put out Rice’s debut EP, Heart and Mind. While holding down assorted jobs as a waiter, telemarketer, and dog walker, Rice performed regularly on the Lower East Side. He absorbed the city’s atmosphere and kept writing steadily, though the circumstances remained far from glamorous. By spring 2002 he had played enough shows to buy a bus ticket home. Preparing himself to enter college life upon reaching Virginia, he received an unexpected call from Warner Bros./Reprise, whose interest in Heart and Mind led them to offer him a deal. After brief hesitation he signed, joining a roster that already included his heroes Young, Mitchell, and Lou Reed, and he returned to New York.
Over the next two years Rice worked to gather a set of songs that would satisfy both himself and the label. During this period he released the independently issued Tin Can Love EP. In fall 2003 he and producer/engineer Mike Mogis recorded fifteen demo tracks at Presto! in Lincoln, Nebraska, material originally intended for Trouble Is Real. Rice set that project aside long enough to issue Extended Player 24:26 in spring 2004. Trouble Is Real finally appeared in spring 2005. His next studio album, Further North, followed in 2007. One year later he produced Jenny Lewis’ second solo album, Acid Tongue. Rice and Lewis subsequently formed the duo Jenny & Johnny, whose first album came out in 2010. Rice’s third long-player, Good Graces, was released in October 2013.
Albums
Singles
Hollow Jubilee
2019
Below the Deck
2019
Meet the Mother
2018
The Long Game
2018
A Girl Called Miami EP
2007
Kiss Me Goodbye
2005
So Sweet
2004
Trouble Is Real - Part 1
2004
My Mother's Son
2004
Blood Of God
2003
The Acrobat
2003
Lady Memphis
2003
True Love Gone Bust
2003
Live
