Jonathan Peyton hails from Woodstock, Georgia. At the age of 16, he borrowed an Epiphone Les Paul guitar and tried to learn ‘Stairway to Heaven’, playing his first show aged 20. The church played a big part in Peyton’s youth. He spent time in a religious cult when he was younger and has said that in the past, he “felt that his faith blinded him”. In 2022, Peyton flew out to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado to support the country star Zach Bryan. His opening set was cancelled owing to snow. Undeterred, Peyton made an impromptu appearance in the parking area as the snow fell, which he has described as a “magical moment”. Peyton’s 2024 album “Nothing Here’s the Same” was produced by Sadler Vaden of Jason Isbell’s band The 400 Unit. Peyton got in contact with Vaden via social media and after exchanging a few messages, Vaden came on board for the recording process, also contributing excellent guitar and keyboards.
Peyton’s songwriting is in the same class as Isbell’s and the album was in my top three releases of 2024. His songs are emotive and evocative, with their emotional depth heightened by the sublime backing vocals of his wife, Abigail. Peyton’s music explores themes of faith, relationships, and personal struggles, providing a raw and honest look into his past. His latest release, “Now That You’re Sober”, details the up-and-down journey from addiction to sobriety.
Jonathan and Abigail Peyton are yet to venture over to the UK, but footage on YouTube reveals that they’re a great live act. When the Peytons do travel to Europe, make sure that you get a ticket.
I send out a big thank you to Mark Dinnage – photographer extraordinaire at the Americana gigs at Kirton in Lindsey, Lincs. He gave me the “heads up” re. Jonathan Peyton approx 6 months ago when he sent me a couple of tracks from “Nothing Here’s the Same.” Absolutely stunning album. Great to see it showcased on the site; it deserves to be heard. Thanks for your efforts too Darren. Looking forward to the new release!
Thanks Alan, I agree ‘Nothing Here’s The Same’ should be heard by more people. Hopefully the new album will be just as good!