“This album really speaks about optimism, faith, belief and hope, especially in the light of what everybody has been experiencing in the last two or three years,” he says. On Grace and Mercy Butler delivers a collection of songs that serve as a soothing musical balm in today’s troubled times. I’m hoping those songs will effect people in a positive and wonderful way.” This album truthfully and honestly lets people know that the songs that I’m writing are the things that I’m going through in this season. People always assume that because you’re a recording artist and you travel the world that you don’t have problems and you don’t have disappointments in your life, which is not true. “I’ve got to spend time living, and through living you come up with stories to talk about and songs to write. “These days I try to do a little bit of living in between. A South African native whose expansive musical gift has earned accolades in the R&B, contemporary jazz and gospel fields, Butler’s new release Grace and Mercy is filled with the soulful sounds and insightful lyrics fans have come to expect from the veteran performer.Ī key word in Butler’s life is balance and after years of touring the globe, he’s learned just how important time away from the spotlight can be. And in spite of all the hardships, Jonathan Butler has an air of playfulness and quiet resilience that is easily visible in his passionate performances.A life well lived is often the best foundation for compelling art and there’s no denying JONATHAN BUTLER has been blessed with a fascinating life. However, to Jonathan Butler, success is measured on a higher plane. A religious and spiritual man, Butler dedicates his life to being a devoted father and grandfather, and a caring citizen to his homeland, South Africa. His commitment to his craft came to fruition with his self-titled debut album, which received a GRAMMY® nomination for the pop hit “Lies.” An instrumental “Going Home” earned him another GRAMMY® nomination and the mid-tempo ballad “Sarah, Sarah” confirmed Butler’s place in popular music. Jonathan’s first single broke down racial barriers becoming the first song by a black artist played by white radio stations in South Africa and won the South African equivalent to a GRAMMY®. He was signed to Caulder’s Jive Records and the rest is history. At thirteen, Jonathan’s talents caught the eyes and ears of the British record producer Clive Caulder. Ultimately, his ticket to a new life was music. On occasion he would perform at lavish concert halls for whites only, where he would not be allowed to use the bathroom, and the very next night he would perform in a dilapidated local township. In his early teens Butler won a local talent contest, affording him the opportunity to perform with a touring musical company throughout South Africa. From then on, Jonathan’s musical gifts grew by leaps and bounds. Little did his father realize that he was giving way to a musical phenomenon. Jonathan’s story begins at a very young age when his father presented him with a homemade one-string guitar. In more ways than one, Jonathan Butler is representative of South Africa. It is for this reason Nelson Mandela credits Butler’s music as having inspired him during his imprisonment. Though his musical abilities would take him away from the world he grew up in, Jonathan would neither forget the plight of his fellow South Africans, nor the man that led them to freedom. Born in South Africa under the shadow of apartheid and raised in poverty, Butler was the first non-white artist to be played on South African radio and appear on national television. Jonathan Butler is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who leads a life few can imagine.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |