April 2008:

• FREE MP3 posted at the Audio page! Check out the previously unreleased acoustic demo of "I Got a Problem"! Download it and comment on the song at Jonathan's BLOG.
• Jonathan's song "My Apology" featured on NY Times list of "10 Great Christian Rock Songs. Really." Click on the link to read the list submitted by author Daniel Radosh (see Daniel's new book, below).

  Jonathan's song is called "bright, catchy indie-pop" and shares the list with songs by Over The Rhine, Larry Norman, and Bob Dylan!

• Jonathan's song "Xian Bookstore" from the Sound Theology album has been quoted in a brand new book!

  New York based journalist Daniel Radosh has written Rapture Ready!: Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture. The author examines the complete weirdness of Contemporary Christian media, music, and marketing, also explored in Jonathan's song "Xian Bookstore." BUY THE BOOK HERE!

• THE BEST OF JONATHAN RUNDMAN:
  20 SONGS FROM THE 20th CENTURY now at iTunes!

  Visit the iTunes Music Store and download your favorite Clinton-era Jonathan songs for only $0.99 each!

March 2008:

• JONATHAN'S FIRST TRIP TO SXSW! That's right, for those of you attending the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, TX, please check out Jonathan's performance on Tuesday, March 11! Jonathan will join twelve amazing artists (including Tom Freund, Jon Dee Graham, Syd Straw, and The Silos!) for the Swollen Circus show at The Hole In The Wall club. This year the show is a tribute to Silos' bassist Drew Glackin (who you know from Jonathan's Public Library album) who died unexpectedly in January.

December 2007:

• Jonathan's song "Front Row at the Fashion Show" featured on the Paste Magazine Sampler CD included in the December '07 / January '08 issue of the magazine!

  Jonathan joins other artists such as Jens Lekman, Mindy Smith, and Jars of Clay on this invitiation-only CD sampler! Check your local newstand in the next week or so!

• BILL MALLONEE of Vigilantes of Love will play a Christmas show in the Twin Cities on December 11th, with Jonathan as the opening act! Details at the TOUR DATES page.
• Book Jonathan and Beki Hemingway in your town! Yes, the amazing Beki Hemingway will be in the Midwest for a few days in January, so here's the rare opportunity to schedule a duet performance in your area on January 11 or 12! If you live within a few hours drive of Minneapolis, and would like to put on a house concert, or coffeehouse gig, or church concert, or whatever, email Jonathan ASAP!
• Jonathan to perform at Gala Celebration of Finland's 90th Anniversary of Independence, December 8th, in Minneapolis.

  A variety of Finnish artists will perform. CLICK HERE for ticket and schedule information. In other Finnish news, Jonathan is also scheduled to appear at Finn-Fest 2008 in Duluth, MN!

• Jonathan's song "Narthex" appears on Out of the Extraordinary benefit CD, in support of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries!

  Jonathan joins long-time musical pals Dakota Road, Amalia Vagts, Agape, and Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan, PLUS bigtime national acts like Indigo Girls and Carrie Newcomer on this album project. Proceeds from the CD sales will help raise awareness and funds to support people of all sexual orientation and gender identities in the life and ministry of the Lutheran church. Song details and purchasing info HERE.

• GREAT REVIEWS POUR IN! The blogosphere has discovered Jonathan's Best of CD! Read excellent reviews at Twangville and Hickory Wind. Also, here's a review from Phantom Tollbooth from October, when Jonathan was the monthly "Writer's Pick" along with Over The Rhine and Mark Olson (Jayhawks)!
• FREE MP3 posted at the Audio page as a musical stocking stuffer! Check out a previously unreleased alternate mix of "Worse For You"! Download it and comment on the song at Jonathan's BLOG.

September 2007:

• Here's some perfect back-to-school music!
  THE BEST OF JONATHAN RUNDMAN:
  20 SONGS FROM THE 20th CENTURY now available!

  The album features tasty remastered and remixed early classics like "Tape," "Armyman," "Janesville," and "This July" as well as some previously unreleased gems! All this PLUS an additional twenty-song BONUS CD called MYOPIA featuring super rare and rocking 4-track demos from the 1990s! CLICK here for full details.

• Another exclusive FREE MP3 has been posted at the Audio page! Time-warp back 11 years and hear the original 4-track demo recording of "The Glasses Song" before it was re-done for the Sound Theology project! Download it and comment on the song at Jonathan's BLOG.
• Book Jonathan in your town! Big tours are on the calendar for the coming year, and if you've never hosted a Jonathan show in your area, here's your chance! An East Coast tour is planned for this November, and 2008 will find Jonathan in California, Texas, Iowa, and all around the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. See the Booking page for available dates and locations.

Summer 2007:

• FREE MP3 posted at the Audio page! Check out a previously unreleased alternate mix of "Nothing Old, Nothing New"! Download it and comment on the song at Jonathan's BLOG.
• Jonathan to return to LiFest! Jonathan will perform at multiple stages at this huge music festival in Osh Kosh, WI in July! Other bands include Jars of Clay and the Newsboys.
• More good press for Protestant Rock Ethic!

  The May 2007 issue of The Lutheran magazine featured a review of the album, comparing Jonathan to Matthew Sweet, Ben Kweller, and Garrison Keillor! PLUS, the online mag Phantom Tollbooth rated the album 4-out-of-5, and had some nice things to say!

March 2007:

• Jonathan continues as a guest musician with songwriter MICHAEL MORRIS and band. Catch Jonathan (usually) playing accordion, melodica, piano, banjo, and bass with Michael Sunday nights at the 400 BAR in Minneapolis!
• PasteMagazine.com "Music Video of the Day" to feature Jonathan's "You Don't Speak For Me", March 26th! Previous "Video of the Day" bands include Bright Eyes, Billy Bragg, and the Barenaked Ladies!

January 2007:

• Jonathan's BLOG has been relocated to BLOGGER at this address jonathanrundman.blogspot.com. Please visit for commentary on Jonathan's adventures in showbiz, domestic life, etc. Comments are open to all!
• The great press attention for Protestant Rock Ethic continues: check out this album review in a recent issue of Christian Musician.
• Jonathan continues as GUEST MUSICIAN for songwriter Michael Morris playing Tuesday nights at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis. You might see Jonathan playing accordion, melodica, harmonica, and/or banjo!
• MYSPACE OVERHAUL! New songs, slideshows, details, and other goodies have been added to MySpace...check out the pages for Salt Lady Records (featuring a preview of the new re-mix of "Meeting Nixon"), The Styx Tribute Album (featuring Jonathan playing "Come Sail Away"), and Jonathan's 1997 trio project The Muckrakers, as well as Jonathan's own MySpace page.

December 2006:

• More press for Protestant Rock Ethic! Jonathan was interviewed in the current issue of the Youth Encounter newsletter.
• Another FREE MP3 has been posted! This month marks the 10-year-anniversary of the recording of Jonathan's third album Recital, so we're pleased to offer an exclusive remix of the CD's title track! Download it at the AUDIO PAGE.
• Jonathan as GUEST MUSICIAN: this month Jonathan will sit in with the band playing various instruments for Minneapolis-based songwriters Michael Morris and Micah Taylor. Visit their webpages for show details.

November 2006:

• SVEA IRENE RUNDMAN is born on October 15, 2006!
  

  Svea and her Mommy are happy and healthy, and so are Daddy and big brother Paavo. Welcome lovely Svea!

• NEW free MP3 for download! Visit the audio page to hear a previously unreleased LIVE solo-acoustic performance of the song "Tape" recorded at Club Mondo in Stockholm, Sweden during Jonathan's Scandinavian tour earlier this year.
• Good press for Protestant Rock Ethic! Jonathan's new double-CD receives a glowing review from the music blog Music Spectrum!
• "Best of" Jonathan CD in the works! Jonathan has been in the studio for the past month working on remixes of some of his best songs from the pre-Sound Theology era. Contributing to the amazing quality of these tunes is recording and mixing genius Matt Patrick!
• Jonathan Rundman POSTERS for free download!

  Visit Jonathan's PRESS KIT page and scroll down to the bottom to choose between three different promotional posters, available for free download in .pdf form! Print 'em out on 11 X 17 or 8.5 X 11 paper and help promote a local Jonathan concert, OR use as a background for a dartboard!

• BRUCE RUNDMAN releases new album Unorthodox.

  The Salt Lady Records co-founder has released a special 10-song acoustic album featuring some excellent new songs, stripped-down versions of old faves, and a few choice cover tunes. Cousin Jonathan Rundman co-wrote the included songs "Out The Back," "Continental Divide," "Picture Day," and "Beige Slacks." Click HERE to purchase.

• Jonathan Rundman eSongbook now available!

  The complete piano arrangements, guitar chords, and lead sheets for Jonathan's HEARTLAND LITURGY are featured in this CD-ROM songbook, along with sheet music of other songs from the Protestant Rock Ethic, Public Library, and Sound Theology albums!

August 2006:

• More good press! Jonathan's July concert in SA was previewed by the San Antonio Express News! See why they said "Texas does not have a lock on first-class troubadours."
• Jonathan's songs available for licensing! Organizations, bands, and church groups who use Jonathan's music can now purchase licensing permissions online. Click here for online copyright/licensing info!
• Another FREE MP3 has been posted! Way back in 1995 Jonathan wrote this rather bitter and nasty little break-up song and recorded a quick demo of it with The Muckrakers. In 1997 Jonathan tried another demo of it backed by Echelon, but neither of these band demos were sufficient. Finally, on New Years Eve of 2000, in the frozen retreat center at Fortune Lake Camp, Jonathan recorded the definitive version of the song in this acoustic form! Visit the AUDIO page to download "I'll Be Gone."
• EXCLUSIVE LIVE TRACK available on benefit CD!

  A previously unreleased live recording of "Librarian" appears on the new compilation CD Haiti Mission Project. Recorded at the Acadia Cafe in Minneapolis with Jonathan's full band, the track offers a especially rocking version of this song. The CD is released by Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, MN, and features songs by other bands like Lost And Found, Agape, and Echelon. All proceeds go to help provide aid and school supplies for children in Haiti. Click HERE for info.

July 2006:

• Jonathan plays club gigs in Austin and San Antonio, TX! While down South for the ELCA Youth Gathering, Jonathan scheduled additional shows at some cool venues along with other awesome songwriters Zack Hexum, Charlie Paxon, and Brandon Rogers! More info at the Tour Dates page. Minneapolis residents can see Jonathan, Zack, Charlie, and Brandon performing at the 400 Bar for Jonathan's BIRTHDAY SHOW on July 24!

May 2006:

• Jonathan's NEW album PROTESTANT ROCK ETHIC now available!
• PROTESTANT ROCK ETHIC CD RELEASE SHOW! Celebrate the new album at this performance featuring Jonathan and multiple backing musicians, to be held on June 9th in downtown Minneapolis! More info at the Tour Dates page.
• PREVIEW THE NEW CD! Visit Jonathan's Myspace page to hear the song "Were You There?" from the Protestant Rock Ethic album!
• Updated Discography! Click to see check out what recordings Jonathan has appeared on recently!

April 2006:

• Exclusive previously unreleased song available as a FREE MP3! Happy Daylight Saving Time to you all! In honor of this new time of the year, Jonathan has dredged deep into his musical vaults and unearthed one of his weirdest songs “Daylight Saving[s] Time”, unreleased until now! Ten years ago, Jonathan wrote and recorded (on a cassette 4-track recorder) this bizarre tune. Earlier this week those old tracks were transferred to computer and remixed. Download the song at the Audio Page.
• Visit Jonathan's Myspace Blog to view some of his earliest song lyrics! A song written in 1986, "Bulldozer Slaughter," has been unearthed! It's an inspiring tune.
• "Forgiveness Waltz" recorded by Greg Adkins! Jonathan’s song “Forgiveness Waltz” from his album Sound Theology, has previously been recorded by power-vocalist Beki Hemingway and instrumental duo Setterholm/Michelson. Now in 2006, the song has been reinterpreted yet again by Knoxville-based acoustic musician Greg Adkins on his new album The Bluegrass Service. The album also features tunes written by Gillian Welch and Bob Dylan. Greg’s version of “Waltz” is absolutely beautiful...learn more about the album, and purchase the new CD for $12 by visiting Greg’s webpage.
• Jonathan to perform with Tom Freund and Zack Hexum! On Jonathan's upcoming Ohio tour he'll share the stage with these excellent musicians from LA who've been making quite a splash in the big-time music industry. Check out these fine artists!

March 2006:

• Jonathan is back from his six month sabbatical, and is looking forward to upcoming performances in WI, IL, OH, and more! Check out the Tour Dates page to see the Spring schedule!
• Did you know that Jonathan played shows in Finland and Sweden back in January? A new FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD of Jonathan's song "Meeting Nixon" has been posted on the Audio Page, recorded live on January 9th, 2006 at Club Mondo in Stockholm, Sweden!
• PRESS COVERAGE: Jonathan's album Public Library has been reviewed at the Finnish online music magazine Noise. Try translating that! An English-language review (with photos) of Jonathan's recent performance at St. Paul's venerable Turf Club is posted at How Was The Show? The reviewer called Jonathan a hybrid of Woody Guthrie and Bryan Adams....hmmm...
• MORE PRESS COVERAGE!

  The Minneapolis monthy music magazine RIFT has published a very detailed travel journal from Jonathan's last tour to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Read the online version here, or pick up a copy (eventually) of the March issue of RIFT at these locations.

• Thanks to web-wizard Pat Tomek for the webpage redesign on Valentine's Day!
• Thanks to photo-wizard Ryan Torma for shooting Jonathan's new promotional pictures (seen on this very index page, as well as in the Promotional Photo page.
• More media attention for "THE GLASSES SONG!"

  Yes, once again this song from Sound Theology has been discovered by the global media. This time, it's been licensed for use in a British documentary film called "Specky" about the challenges of wearing corrective lenses! Stay tuned for more info about the film's release!

Fall 2005 Mid-sabbatical update:

• JONATHAN'S ON NATIONAL TELEVISION!

  In October Jonathan's music was featured on the Ellen Degeneres Show! "The Glasses Song" (from Sound Theology) was used as thematic music for a comedy skit called "Ellen Goes to Lenscrafters."

• Another FREE MP3 has been posted! Way back in 1997 Jonathan wrote a frantic minor-key bluegrass tune and arranged it with his cousin Bruce. Finally, a few weeks ago, Jonathan and Bruce have recorded the definitive version of the song! Visit the AUDIO page to download "The Sound of the Cicadas."
• New pix in the PHOTO pages: Check out these shots from Jonathan's last full-band pre-sabbatical show in Minneapolis, PLUS brand new pix of Jonathan and his cousin Bruce in the studio!
• Sabbatical reflections and the lyrics to the above-mentioned "Cicadas" song can be found on Jonathan's BLOG.

July 2005:

• JONATHAN RUNDMAN GOES ON SABBATICAL!

  On July 20th, 2005, his 34th birthday, Jonathan Rundman has announced that for the remainder of the year he will be on sabbatical. No shows, no web updates, no tours. Jonathan looks forward to spending time at home with his sweetie Dawn, and their son Paavo. Click on the photo for a large picture of Paavo.

• Jonathan's MySpace BLOG will continue to be updated with various observations on life away from showbiz. Check it out, make your own comments, and join Jonathan on his sabbatical journey.
• Jonathan is pleased to be a featured performer on many new CDs from a variety of artists. He plays banjo, mandolin, and sings on the new album Pronto by the acoustic duo Lost And Found. Jonathan adds Hammond organ and Wurlitzer electric piano to the forthcoming new CD by power vocalist Rachel Kurtz. The new album Don't Hesitate by Madison, WI band The Pull features the song "Time To Go" co-written by Jonathan. And Jonathan sang on the song "Reliving the Past" by Chicago-based prog-rock collective 9 On Bali, to be released soon as a vinyl single!

June 2005:

• More national press for Public Library!

  The brand new June issue of Performing Songwriter (with the lovely Aimee Mann on the cover) features a Top 12 DIY review of Jonathan's new CD! Among other niceness, the review states "Rundman's lyrics paint vivid pictures," and celebrates Jonathan's "clever phrasing and fresh rhymes."

  Read more of the review on the press page and pick up the issue at your local newsstand!
• Check out Jonathan's new page on MySpace! The site features additional info about Jonathan's music, plus his first attempt at BLOGGING!
• Even more national press! Link here for a brief review in the current issue of Christian Century.
• This month's FREE MP3 is a live recording featuring Jonathan and the amazing Beki Hemingway. Download an acoustic performance of the song "You Never Last Where You Land" at the audio page! The original version of this song is found on the duet album Tennesota, which was released exactly one year ago!
• Jonathan continues in the studio, working on previously unreleased songs from the past, as well as two brand new tunes, "Calm the Storm" and "Miracle Song" commissioned by Augsburg Fortress Publishers. Multiple new albums are in the works!
• Sound Theology has just been added to the iTunes Music Store! Download your favorite tunes for only $0.99 per song!

CLICK HERE to read previous news entries.

home/news • albums • tour dates • bio • press •

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• contact/booking • email list • links

Jonathan's BLOG is the best source of up-to-the-minute news

Jonathan's MySpace page has been UPDATED with tons of photos, etc!

Visit Jonathan's YouTube page to watch the music video for the song "You Don't Speak for Me" (pictured below)

Purchase the rights to use Jonathan's music! COPYRIGHT and LICENSING INFO found here!

PUBLIC LIBRARY Jonathan's most recent studio album! produced by Walter Salas-Humara and featuring The Silos

PROTESTANT
ROCK ETHIC
a huge double-CD, 42-song compilation featuring Jonathan's Heartland Liturgy

The Lutheran Handbook:
Jonathan was a contributing writer for this theology / comedy manual, available from Augsburg Fortress

the iTunes Music Store now features the Sound Theology Tennesota and Public Library albums for downloading!
$0.99 per song!

March 2005:
Jonathan toured South Dakota with acoustic supergroup Monsters of Folk

TENNESOTA
The first full-length duet CD by Jonathan Rundman and Beki Hemingway

Jonathan's song "Smart Girls" is featured on this new 20-song sampler CD Myrtle's Favorites from Pitch Music

Eleven Years and
28 Days in the Yellow Room: Jonathan's 1992 debut reissued on CD with 14 bonus tracks

Sound Theology
Jonathan’s double-CD 52-song rock & roll masterpiece

Ten previously unreleased recordings from Jonathan, plus other highlights from the entire Salt Lady Records catalog

Jonathan was the executive producer for this compilation CD, featuring 13 different bands reinterpreting their favorite Styx songs. Hear Jonathan sing “Come Sail Away!”