Jon Rhoten



I started to get involved in music at an early age and realized that this was my passion. Writing and performing is, what I believe, to be the greatest form of expression. To be able to have a visual, audio and emotional talent is something very rare.

I bought my first guitar when I was 13 years old and started an old punk band at age 15. One day, one of my friends told me to play a CD he just bought (Stone Roses) and once I heard it, I fell in love with the British sound. When they use melody and mood, instead of solos and raspy guitars I realized that music can evolve into something very special. I began to buy everything and anything that came from England. From Verve to My Bloody Valentine, I had a collection of over 100 albums and every one of them where from England. I began to buy Beatles albums and understood why they influenced so many of these same bands I listen to today. In fact, they totally influence my writing and arrangements that I bring to Magnifier.

In 1997, I worked with many producers in the industry and learned about arrangement and hit making. I realized the importance of simplicity in music and how it improves the over-all sound and vibe of the song. I threw out everything complex and stripped down the songs into simple acoustic and vocal arrangements. Once the songs sounded good on acoustic, I knew that they could evolve into an amazing production. With that, I made each and every song into "sing-along" and "mood-filled" productions. Then I started to develop the songs into layered compositions.

Mood, vibe and harmony began to become the most important facet in my music. Everything I write is right to the point and has strong roots in the "classic rock." With the help of three band members and Gary St.Clair, my music will become something that a broad genre will enjoy.