Koffeehouse Featured Artist of the Week

By: Koffeehouse Editor, Christopher Eric

He's had two Top 40 Billboard singles ("Beautiful Disaster," "Beating My Heart"), toured with the likes of Koffeehouse favorites OneRepublic, Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, Duffy, Paolo Nutini and Kelly Clarkson, and licensed songs to hit shows like Scrubs, Ghost Whisperer and A Little Thing Called Life. But it was Jon McLaughlin's jaw-dropping performance of the Oscar-nominated So Close during the live worldwide telecast of the Academy Awards-- the same song he sang when he starred as himself in the Disney hit-movie Ella Enchanted with Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams-- that was a career defining moment for the 25 year-old pop rock singer-songwriter and pianist from Anderson, Indiana. The appearance re-ignited his Island Records debut album, spurring a 1,514% overnight sales increase at Amazon, sending it to the #1 spot on its Movers & Shakers chart, and his single, "Beautiful Disaster", attracted over 420,000 digital fans (including Koffeehouse) when featured as the iTunes Download of The Week.

On the eve of heading out to Los Angeles to perform at Koffeehouse's 4th Annual "Evening of Independence" Concert to benefit MusiCares on August 7, 2010 (www.koffeehouse.com), Jon opened up to Koffeehouse about a wide-variety of subjects, including arm-wrestling Ryan Tedder, what is was like to play in front of a billion or so people, and making Perez Hilton's "hit list."

Q&A with Jon McLaughlin

KH: We might as well cut to the chase, Jon. One of your biggest fans is Perez Hilton who has posted at least one picture of you on his site and has referred to you as “dreamy” and “yummy.” Are you blushing, flattered or disturbed?

JM: Well when it comes to Perez Hilton, you know, he can get pretty ruthless so I'm just glad I'm on his good side (smile).

KH: You’ve played live before one of the biggest TV audiences in history when you performed So Close from Ella Enchanted during the Academy Awards. So were you more nervous when you sang the national anthem for Koffeehouse before 20,000 screaming fans at Game #2 of the Celtics v. Magic NBA Conference Finals, or singing in front of Jack, Gwenyth and Leo?

JM: The Oscars definitely! I've never been more nervous than I was standing at that microphone behind that curtain. The only way I would've been more nervous is if I were just singing in a room with just Jack, Gwyneth, and Leo.

KH: Any pre-show traditions or superstitions? Anything you MUST do before you get out on stage?

JM: I've tried all kinds of things. None that have stood the test of time. So these days I'm pretty chill before a show - just the usual vocal warm ups, hot tea, jumping jacks, pull-ups, push-ups, push pops, pop tarts...

KH: We know you recently got married (Amy) which spurs us on to ask whether being in a healthy, happy, long-term relationship basically one of the worst things that can happen to a singer-songwriter?

JM: Well, I do think it's true that we get some of the best songs in history out of heartache, but I think it's partly because heartache is so universal. I love breakup songs, always have, always will - I have the greatest marriage ever I'm pretty sure, but I can always write a song about heartbreak. You never forget what heartbreak feels like.

KH: You write most of your own songs, but you’ve performed songs written by others. Which gives you more satisfaction: writing a great song, or performing someone else's song great?

JM: Definitely writing. As much writing as I've done in the last 8 or 9 years, there have only been a few times when a song has come along and really got me excited and there's just nothing else like it in the world. Nothing can phase me on the days I write a song that I feel really good about.

KH: We hear that regularly playing piano builds strong forearms. So what happens when you and Ryan Tedder (frontman of OneRepublic) arm-wrestle?

JM: It's been awhile since I've seen Ryan "Forearms" Tedder, but we played a show together in Chicago once and he had a broken foot and was walking around on crutches so arm wrestling was out of the question because, you know, the cast would throw his center of gravity off and...it just wouldn't have been fair.

KH: What's your "freeway only" song? You know, that song you will blast while driving alone on the freeway, but you’ll turn it down low at a stoplight because you'd be embarrassed if people knew you actually liked that song.

JM: "I Think We're Alone Now" - by Tiffany. Do NOT tell anyone.

KH: Can Jon McLaughlin listen to and enjoy Jon McLaughlin songs in the car?

JM: Well I've taken the last year off just to do some writing for the new record so I actually end up listening to new demos I've made quite a bit. I wouldn't say I always enjoy listening to them though!

KH: You’ve worked with a lot of fantastic singer songwriters like Jason Reeves, Brett James and Troy Verges. Have you ever sat down for a songwriting session and a song just magically came together without much effort?

JM: I wrote a song with a guy named Gabe Dixon, one of my favorite musicians. We wrote a song called "Far From Home" which went on the Gabe Dixon Band's last record. That was one of the rare times when I sat down at the piano with someone and ideas just started flying. Most of the time I write pretty slow though.

KH: So we hear that you had a writing session with Jason Reeves and somehow stumbled upon writing a song about Amy Winehouse. We gotta know how that happened.

JM: He pulled up his MacBook and on his home screen there was a news story about Amy Winehouse and how she and her husband had just been in a fight with each other and they looked like they tore each other up! So it started out with us just looking at the pictures and reading the article and talking about how crazy / crazy-in-love they were and then ended up writing a song from their perspective called, "You Are the One I Love".

KH: So F*&%, Marry, Kill is soooo 2008. Let’s play Tour, Duet, and Delete. Tell us the one artist you’d want to tour with, the one artist you’d want to record with, and the one artist whose song you’ve been meaning to delete from your iTunes library.

JM: I would tour with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - I would never get bored watching their show every night. I would love to do a duet with Billy Joel. And ever since I saw Harry Connick Jr. in concert a few months ago, I've been meaning to delete everything of his from my library. I can't stand how freakishly talented that guy is! Makes me want to quit music altogether!

KH: We know you are working on recording your new album. What can your fans expect from the new album? And how long does Perez have to wait for some new material?

JM: The new record is coming along really well. I've never taken so much time to do it right before and I've never worked so hard on anything before. So I hope Perez and all my other fans love this record and love what they hear because the music I'm making now is definitely me. I'm not trying for anything or trying to be anyone else but myself.

Well, don't worry Jon, we'll only tell a few thousand people about your Tiffany secret.

Source: Facebook Note by Christopher Eric (tag: Jon McLaughlin)