We met Jonathon Robert Linaberry, who goes by the moniker The Bones of J.R. Jones at our Posada in Tucson, Arizona. The New York singer/songwriter admittedly has a fascination with the southwestern desert, present in his music and the accompanying album artwork that Jonathon creates himself. His song “Howl” has been on constant rotation in our home for the past few months. The gentle fingerpicking, haunting vocals, and expansive production perfectly captures the feeling of a summer evening in the desert. Follow along with J.R. at @thebonesofjrjones.
Featured Artist: The Bones of J.R. Jones
Q1: Jonathan, it was so good to meet you in Tucson. Your song “Howl” has been a go to for us since we met. Where did that tune come from?
That was the second song I wrote for the EP and it came out of a night of driving from Tucson to Joshua Tree. If you know that drive, you know there is a long stretch that runs along the backside of the park where there is just… nothing: a few trailer homes, a two lane road and not much else. We drove in the silence, the only car on the road. I think the song the seeds for that song came from that moment.
Q2: What is your recording process like? The production on the newest EP is lush, expansive, and varied. Do you like to experiment in the studio, or do you have tried and true methods?
I wish there were such things as tried and true. I feel like my process is always evolving to fit the mood of the songs I am writing. For A Celebration, I had most of the production work thought out before entering the studio, which made the recording process pretty seamless. I had all the drumbeats and sounds planned in my head, I just needed to execute them. That was a welcome change from the previous album.
Q3: What draws you to the southwest desert and how does that environment contrast with your home in the Catskills? Do you feel like you need both to fuel your creation?
I think the contrast is what draws me. The Catskills will always be home, but it’s closed in, covered, insulated, you feel nestled in those mountains… What I love about the southwest is that I feel completely exposed and vulnerable in a way. The landscape doesn’t provide any sort of shelter. And absolutely, they both fuel my creativity. So much of this album is based in the southwest. That is where most of these songs have their origins.
Q4: Your artwork seems important to the total experience of the music. Do you have the aesthetic of the album artwork in mind when you are writing, or does that come after?
It comes after generally… but one definitely informs the other. ‘A Celebration’ is the first time I new exactly how I wanted to present the album visually while writing the tunes.
Q5: What’s next for you? You mentioned you were recording something with Malena Cadiz (she’s one of our favorites!) Can you share more about that? We’d also love to see a live show if you’re in Joshua Tree or Tucson.
Right now, it feels like things are trending in a good direction and will hopefully gain some momentum. Summer is full of festivals that are cautiously opening up. I played one just last week that was at about 50% of its capacity from years prior, but the energy was good. People enjoyed themselves. I don’t think I realized how much I missed playing out until that moment.
Malena is a dear old friend of mine. We are always hoping to write more together. She has a song coming out that I sang on… but I don’t want to spill the beans on that release just yet. 🙂
And absolutely. Say the word and I will be there to perform. Haha. Maybe we can get Malena to come out too.
About the New Moon Playlist
On the New Moon, the earth, moon, and sun align making us unaware of the moon’s presence in the sky. Without the visual presence and glow of the moon, other celestial bodies typically hidden now shine brighter. Our chances of seeing the sky clearly are heightened on this day, making it a day of clarity and new beginnings. Creatively it’s the perfect time to set intentions for a new cycle of dreams and goals, and ways of manifesting them.
To honor this monthly opportunity for fresh starts and creative beginnings, we’ve asked our friend and musician we admire, Chase McBride, to curate a seasonal New Moon Spotify playlist.
Follow The Joshua Tree House on Spotify and be the first to hear new playlists. Last season’s New Moon Spotify Playlist featured artist Jack Symes.
Great content! Keep up the good work!