Jonathan Plevyak is a Nashville rock and soul singer with a deliciously vintage sound that is truly one of a kind. Jonathan’s love for artists like Elvis, Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke and Billie Holiday provided his musical foundation, interwoven with elements of contemporary rock & roll. Jonathan’s retro style will scratch an itch you didn’t even know was there.
His debut EP “Made In The Shade” was released in January and sounds just like a vinyl record pulled off the shelf in the ‘50s. The lead single, “Wild, Love,” has been out since last year and has been featured in over 100,000+ user generated videos on Tik Tok, highlighting the community of old souls, hopeless romantics, and lovers of a bygone era that Jonathan is fostering.
What’s the story and message behind this EP?
A: ‘Loverboy” is a loose concept record starring myself as a fictional character called Loverboy. The concept is each song is a chapter in an overarching story that covers a different theme and topic of love. Loverboy embodies all the concepts of love including falling in love, heartbreak, and even songs that talk about non romantic love like home, family, and chasing dreams.
What’s the most representative track in it and why?
A: Musically I’d say the upcoming single “Honeymoon”. I think that song embodies the sound of the record & my original vision of how the record should sound to a tee. Lyrically, “Electric Eyes”. That song talks about an old soul living in a fast paced digital world. I resonate with being that and I believe a lot of my growing audience does too. My mission statement as an artist was to help bring back the sounds of the 50s/60s, but with a modern twist and I think that song reflects the spirit of the record.
What was it like touring with Pokey Lafarge?
A: It was absolutely incredible. We had so much fun. The venues were amazing. Everything went so smoothly. Pokeys audience is incredibly kind and very musical themselves. They gave great feedback after each show. I truly enjoyed meeting them and spending time with them. Being around Pokey was very inspiring. He and his crew run an extremely tight and professional ship. I learned a lot watching him operate. You could tell he and his band do what they do for the love of the music and take what they do extremely seriously. They don’t take any moment for granted. Those are the types of influences I want to surround myself with. Very grateful for the opportunity.
Who would you say is your main inspiration in life?
A: In life, definitely my mom. She is the pinnacle of how to live authentically and with kindness and love. She helps push me to be a better human. Musically & lyrically, my biggest inspirations are Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, & Sam Cooke.
Is there still a place for old school soul and rock music in this industry?
A: I believe so. That music is timeless for a reason. I truly believe that the sounds, lyrics, and themes from that era will never die. I think the deeper we dive into our digital world, especially with all this AI stuff, there will be an ever growing community of people that crave a return to simplicity, warmth, analog, connection, & the human touch. The music that I make is for those types of people.
What was your first record ever?
A: Lil Romeo’s self titled album. I’m serious.
What’s a story or a topic you want to write about that you haven’t yet?
A: That’s a great question. I’d like to write an old timey outlaw country murder-mystery song or some 70s inspired Marvin Gaye type songs. I love how he made songs about making love sound so poetic and beautiful. I’d like to try my hand at that topic.
