{{Short description|American singer-songwriter (born 1955)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Jonathan Gregg | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|1|26|mf=yes}} | birth_place = New York City, United States | genre = Pop, Americana, rock 'n' roll, ambient country | occupation = Musician/songwriter | instrument = Guitar, pedal steel, dobro. vocals | years_active = 1976–present | label = Northern Spy <br/>Portable<br/>Fake Doom<br/>JAGDISC<br/>SAM records | associated_acts = SUSS<br>The Mundanes<br/>The Egyptians<br/>Lonesome Val<br/>Life in a Blender<br/>Jonathan Gregg & The Lonesome Debonaires<br/>The Doc Marshalls/Runner of the Woods<br/>The Combine<br/>The Crusty Gentlemen<br/>The Linemen | website = www.jagtunes.com }}

'''Jonathan Gregg''' (born January 26, 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who plays pedal steel, guitar, and dobro. Based in New York City, he is a founding member of ambient country pioneers SUSS; he also led Jonathan Gregg & the Lonesome Debonaires and The Combine, and, with Kevin Johnson, co-led alt-country band The Linemen.<ref>{{cite web|title=The new Linemen make Heartache Red-Hot with "Cold Water"|url=http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2016/10/premieres/the-new-linemen-make-heartache-red-hot-with-cold-water|website=Elmore Magazine|date=October 10, 2016 |accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

== Early life == Jonathan Gregg was born and raised in New York City, where he lived until the age of 14, when his family moved upstate to Poughkeepsie, NY. He attended Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, and in 1977 graduated from Brown University with a degree in French. He returned to New York in 1981.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

== Career == ===1979–1984=== Gregg led two bands in college, the Lonesome Debonaires and Guns Galore, the latter of which included saxophonist Ken Field.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bio|url=http://www.kenfield.org/bio.htm|website=Ken Field official website|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> In 1979, he joined the New Wave band the Mundanes, led by bandleader/guitarist/songwriter John Andrews (who went on to work in animation, notably as an executive producer of Beavis & Butt-Head).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andrews|first1=John|title=Daria the Untold Tale Part 1|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-garrett-andrews/daria-the-untold-tale-par_b_5449805.html|website=HuffPost|date=June 10, 2014 |accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> The Mundanes also included keyboardist John Linnell, who went on to form They Might Be Giants with John Flansburgh. The band won the first WBRU Rock Hunt in 1980<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.providencejournal.com/features/entertainment/music/20140410-rock-hunt-finals-friday-at-the-met-in-pawtucket.ece|title=Rock Hunt finals Friday at The Met in Pawtucket|last=Smith|first=Andy|date=April 10, 2014}}</ref> and released an indie single that charted on WBCN.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.backspinradio.net/2013/12/music-survey-wbcn-fm-boston-ma-most-played-albums-december-29-1980/|title=Music Survey: WBCN FM Boston, MA "Most Played Albums" December 29, 1980|work=BackSpinRadio Classic Music Blog |date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref> They played throughout New England, opening for artists including the Ramones, Talking Heads, Joe Jackson and the B-52's, and appeared on Boston's WGBH-TV.<ref>{{cite web|title=WQTV-68 ...Boston live "The Mundanes"| date=May 27, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L12o28vYAIo|via=YouTube|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

In 1981, the Mundanes moved to New York, at which point Linnell and drummer Kevin Tooley left the band,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pitchel|first1=Samantha|title=EXCLUSIVE: JOHN FLANSBURGH|url=http://50.56.238.19/boston-music-concerts/2011/07/exclusive-john-flansburgh/|website=Dig Boston|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> and Gregg began to take on a more prominent songwriting role. The band recorded a demo produced by Mick Ronson (David Bowie, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople) in 1982.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mick Ronson Sessions – 1980s and 1990s|url=http://www.mickronson.co.uk/mrsessions_2.shtml|website=Mick Ronson|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

Gregg then played guitar with various groups, including The Egyptians, who were managed by CBGB owner Hilly Kristal and opened for Spinal Tap; Lonesome Val, winner of the ''Musician'' best song contest in 1985; and Life in a Blender, whose first album was produced by Chris Butler of The Waitresses.<ref>{{cite web|title=THE LIFE OF LIFE IN A BLENDER|url=http://www.lifeinablender.net/bio.html|website=Life in a Blender official website|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

===1984–2000=== In 1984 Gregg formed a new version of Jonathan Gregg & the Lonesome Debonaires that included John Linnell on accordion<ref name="auto">{{cite journal|title=JONATHAN GREGG AND THE LONESOME DEBONAIRES: Blue on Blonde.|journal=Stereo Review Magazine|url=http://jagtunes.com/jonathan-gregg-press-stereo-review-1.htm|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> before settling on a permanent lineup of Michael McMahon (guitar), Chris Smylie (bass) and Ken Meyer (drums, later succeeded by Stan Mitchell and Nat Seeley).<ref name="auto1">{{cite news|last1=Joyce|first1=Mike|title=JONATHAN GREGG AND THE LOST DEBONAIRES 'THE HARDEST GOODBYE' JONATHAN GREGG|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1997/12/19/jonathan-gregg-and-the-lost-debonaires-the-hardest-goodbye-jonathan-gregg/4a294bb6-cd72-47a8-aa74-e2c90a2fe029/|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>

Jonathan Gregg & the Lonesome Debonaires released their first album, ''Blue on Blonde,'' in 1992, on the JAGDISC label. Described as "clever and intellectual,"<ref>{{cite web|last1=SCHOEMER|first1=KAREN|title=Sounds Around Town|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/17/arts/sounds-around-town-885092.html|website=The New York Times|date=January 17, 1992 |accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> the album was a critical success.<ref>{{cite news|last1=BROWN|first1=JOE|title=THE TOPS IN MUSIC|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1993/01/01/the-tops-in-music/501482aa-502e-4021-b84a-b1cb142ddf25/|accessdate=November 18, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 1, 1993}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=CLARK|first1=MARK|title=MUSIC NEWS AND REVIEWS EWS REV! Top albums|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/110793261/|accessdate=November 18, 2016|work=The Courier-Journal|date=July 4, 1992}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' compared Gregg to Dave Edmunds and Albert Lee and called him a "triple threat" based on his guitar playing, singing and songwriting.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.jagtunes.com/jonathan-gregg-press-rolling-stone.htm|title=Blue on Blonde Review|last=Puterbaugh|first=Parke|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> ''Stereo Review Magazine'' compared the band to Dire Straits, and Gregg to John Hiatt and Tom Verlaine of Television.<ref name="auto"/> Allmusic compared Gregg to Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention and Elvis Costello.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ankeny|first1=Jason|title=AllMusic Review: Blue on Blonde|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-on-blonde-mw0000072280|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=May 7, 2017}}</ref> The band toured with They Might Be Giants and appeared on Vin Scelsa’s radio show, ''Idiot's Delight.''<ref>{{cite web|last1=King|first1=Peter B.|title=Debonaires' lives sweet as CD raves buoy gigs|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/144542037/|website=The Pittsburgh Press|date=April 9, 1992 |accessdate=May 7, 2017}}</ref>

Two other well-received releases ensued, ''Unconditional'' in 1994<ref>{{cite journal|title=JONATHAN GREGG Unconditional|journal=Stereo Review Magazine|year=1994|url=http://jagtunes.com/jonathan-gregg-press-stereo-review-2.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hall|first1=Russell|title=Jonathan Gregg Unconditional|url=http://jagtunes.com/jonathan-gregg-press-edge.htm|website=Creative Loafing}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Joyce|first1=Mike|title=GREGG'S TALES WORTH HEARING|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1995/01/27/greggs-tales-worth-hearing/835e56e5-5e8f-4885-b744-d25f7ae7e238/|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> and ''The Hardest Goodbye'' in 1998,<ref name="auto1"/> but Chris Smylie was offered the bass chair for the Broadway musical ''The Full Monty'' (with songs by Gregg's and Smylie's Brown classmate David Yazbek)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hoffman|first1=Wayne|title='Full Monty' Yazbek Rocks for W.A.R.?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-BMEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Chris+Smylie%22+%22the+full+monty%22&pg=PA11|accessdate=November 18, 2016|agency=Billboard|date=June 30, 2001}}</ref> and it was decided that the band had run its course. They played their last show in March 2000.

===2000–present=== In 2000, Gregg decided to focus full-time on pedal steel guitar. He made a pilgrimage to Nashville to study with the late Jeff Newman,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,88336,00.html|title=Testing the Mettle of a Pedal Steeler|date=November 15, 2000|magazine=Time}}</ref> and has since played frequently as a session musician and sideman, most notably as a longtime member of The Doc Marshalls (now Runner of the Woods).<ref>{{cite web|title=Runner of the Woods Announces Debut Album 'Thirsty Valley' out July 10, 2015|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/acoustic-nation-runner-woods-announces-debut-album-thirsty-valley-out-july-10-2015|website=Guitar World|date=May 15, 2015 |accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> Gregg filmed a series of pedal steel instructional videos for Howcast, leading to over 100,000 hits worldwide through Howcast site and its distributed videos on YouTube.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gregg|first1=Jonathan|title=How to Play the Pedal Steel Guitar with Jonathan Gregg|url=http://www.howcast.com/videos/512274-pedal-steel-guitar-with-jonathan-gregg-pedal-steel-guitar/|website=Howcast|accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> In 2020, he was featured in a profile of six modern pedal steel players on Reverb.com. He currently gives lessons from his New York apartment. He has also performed onstage and/or recorded with Eric Lindell, Bob Woodruff (singer), Eric Brace and Last Train Home, Jesse Malin, Jim Petrie, Emily Duff and Cliff Westfall.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

In 2011, he formed an instrumental group, The Combine, with veteran New York musicians Josh Kaufman (producer and guitarist on Bob Weir’s 2016 comeback album Blue Mountain, guitarist for Josh Ritter), drummer Brian Kantor (Nina Persson, Fruit Bats<ref>{{cite web|last1=Budofsky|first1=Adam|title=Brian Kantor of the Fruit Bats on Absolute Loser|url=http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2016/05/brian-kantor-fruit-bats-absolute-loser/|website=Modern Drummer|date=May 31, 2016 |accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref>) and bassist Terence Murren (Bobby Previte). He also started playing dobro with bluegrass ensemble The Crusty Gentlemen.

In 2013, Gregg teamed up with Kevin Royal Johnson to form a new version of The Linemen, with D.C. veterans Antoine Sanfuentes, Scott McKnight and Bill Williams. Johnson and Gregg knew each other since the '90s, when their bands shared bills.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Glide |title=SONG PREMIERE: THE LINEMEN DELIVER ALT COUNTRY SCHOOLING ON 'LINEMAN'|url=http://www.glidemagazine.com/173603/song-premiere-linemen-deliver-alt-country-schooling-close-place/|website=Glide Magazine|date=October 11, 2016 |accessdate=November 18, 2016}}</ref> Their first — and only — album, titled ''Close the Place Down,'' featured songs written by Johnson and Gregg, individually and together, with both as featured vocalists. The record was released in 2016 and rose to Number 50 on the Americana (music) charts. It was recorded at Brooklyn Recording Studios by Andy Taub (Keith Richards, Calexico, Yo La Tengo) and mixed by producer/engineer John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews, Liz Phair.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.elmoremagazine.com/2016/10/premieres/the-new-linemen-make-heartache-red-hot-with-cold-water|title=The new Linemen make Heartache Red-Hot with "Cold Water"|date=October 10, 2016|website=Elmore Magazine}}</ref> Johnson and Gregg were featured in a 2016 interview by No Depression regarding the making of the record.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Joan|first1=Tara|title=The Linemen Close the Place Down on New Album|url=http://nodepression.com/interview/linemen-close-place-down-new-album-0|website=No Depression|date=December 7, 2016 |accessdate=May 7, 2017}}</ref> The band broke up in 2017 when Johnson decided to retire from music to devote himself to his rare-book business full time.

In 2016, Gregg joined Bob Holmes, Pat Irwin, Gary Leib and William Garrett in an ambient country project called SUSS [https://www.sussband.com]. Their first album, "Ghost Box," was released in January 2018, and was met with critical acclaim, leading to a contract with Brooklyn-based Northern Spy Records. Two other Northern Spy releases followed, High Line (2019) and Promise (2020), which both appeared in best-of lists for their respective years.

== Discography == === As bandleader or co-leader === ;With Jonathan Gregg & the Lonesome Debonaires * ''Blue on Blonde'' (1992) – on JAGDISC * ''Unconditional'' (1994) – on JAGDISC * ''The Hardest Goodbye'' (1998) – on JAGDISC

;With The Linemen * ''Close the Place Down'' (2016) – on SAM Records

=== As band member/sideman/session player === ;With The Mundanes *''Make It the Same'' 3-song EP (1980) – on Portable ;Life in a Blender *''Welcome to the Jelly Days'' (1986) – on Fake Doom Records ;Kevin Johnson *''Sunday Driver'' (2000) ;Chris Rael *''The Devil You Know'' (2004) ;Edward Rogers *''You Haven't Been Where I've Been'' (2004) ;The Doc Marshalls *''Honest for Once'' (2008) *''Look Out Compadre'' (2010) ;Deena *''Somewhere in Blue'' (2008) * ''Rock River'' (2014) ;Arty Hill *''Another Lost Highway'' (2011) ;Mark Cutler *''Sweet Pain'' (2012) ;Runner of the Woods *''Thirsty Valley'' (2014) ;George Usher *''The Last Day of Winter'' (2015) Jim Petrie *''Perfect on Paper'' (2017) Emily Duff *''Maybe in the Morning'' (2017) ;SUSS *''Ghost Box'' 2018 *''Ghost Box (Expanded)'' – on Northern Spy (2018) *''High Line'' – on Northern Spy (2019) *''Promise'' – on Northern Spy (2020)

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links == *[http://www.jagtunes.com Jonathan Gregg official website] *{{discogs artist}} *{{allMusic|artist/jonathan-gregg-mn0001521564}} {{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregg, Jonathan}} Category:Brown University alumni Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:Deerfield Academy alumni Category:Singers from New York City Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Singer-songwriters from New York (state)