Jonny Craig

Early life and musical beginnings

Jonathan Monroe Craig was born in Minot, North Dakota on March 26, 1986. He spent much of his childhood growing up in Canada, specifically in Abbotsford, British Columbia, before moving back to the United States as a young adult to attend high school in Washington State. Craig has cited his early musical influences as coming from a wide range of artists his mother played, including Michael Bolton and various Christian rock bands, rather than a traditional gospel background. His personal idols during his youth included the R&B group Boyz II Men and the pop-punk band New Found Glory. Craig was placed in his school choir as a default elective but was ultimately kicked out of the program. He has stated that he had difficulty staying out of trouble and that high school was not a good fit for him, leading him to leave school, obtain his GED, and focus entirely on a career in music as an escape from personal challenges at home. In an interview with KLSU radio, he explained his motivation, saying, 'I just wanted an escape from a lot of the things when I was a child I guess. I just wanted to get away from a lot of the problems that I was dealing with at home and stuff.'

Career with seminal post-hardcore bands

After moving from Abbotsford, British Columbia to Washington State, Craig began his musical career in earnest by auditioning for bands without success. He formed the garage band westerHALTS in 2000 and released his first known song with them, 'Change, Leisure, and Retirement', in 2001 when he was 15 years old. In an Alternative Press Podcast, he later described the band as 'just something to help pay for weed, something I played over the weekends.' In 2002, he became the lead vocalist for the Tacoma-based pop-punk band Ghost Runner on Third, having met the guitarist in high school. The band's 2005 debut EP, Speak Your Dreams, received positive reviews, with AllMusic highlighting Craig as the band's 'secret weapon, a passionate vocalist' and noting there was 'not a bad track to be found.' His tenure with Ghost Runner on Third was reportedly marred by significant drug problems, a factor that Dance Gavin Dance later cited as contributing to issues within their own band and even to guitarist Sean O'Sullivan's departure, though Craig denied these claims. Craig joined Dance Gavin Dance in 2007, contributing his distinctive vocals to their debut EP Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean and their first full-length album, Downtown Battle Mountain. Critics noted his intense, soulful delivery, with Allmusic describing his 'regularly hysterical yelping.' It was Craig who came up with the band's name, Dance Gavin Dance, in March 2007, having originally planned to use it for Ghost Runner on Third. After being dismissed from Dance Gavin Dance in 2007 after the 'Saints and Sinners Festival' in New Jersey, he immediately filled in temporarily for A Skylit Drive's vocalist Jordan Blake while he was ill before joining Emarosa as their new lead singer just two weeks later. He later rejoined Dance Gavin Dance in 2010 following the departure of Kurt Travis, and the reunited lineup with original vocalist Jon Mess started a headlining tour the following spring. Craig was removed from Dance Gavin Dance again in August 2012 after being publicly scolded by the owner of Sumerian Records for multiple offenses, with the news surfacing after Craig released a statement on his personal Twitter.

Isles & Glaciers and collaborative work

Beyond his work with full-time bands, Craig has been involved in several other notable musical projects and collaborations. In early September 2008, Chiodos vocalist Craig Owens announced he and Jonny Craig would be recording an EP by year's end, also mentioning Vic Fuentes. The project was officially named Isles & Glaciers by Alternative Press on December 15, 2008. The band's first and only EP, The Hearts of Lonely People, was produced by Casey Bates in Seattle, Washington, reworked in Michigan in April 2009, and released on March 9, 2010. A tweet from Craig Owens in 2011 during the MacBook scandal indicated the group would not reunite, stating '...and people wonder why we won't do another I & G record.' Craig's vocals have also been sampled by notable hip-hop artists. Rapper The Game and DJ Skee used his vocals from the Dance Gavin Dance song 'The Robot With Human Hair Pt. 1' on their track 'Heels & Dresses' from the Break Lights mixtape. Rapper Bizzy Bone sampled portions of Craig's solo song 'I Still Feel Her pt. III' for his track 'Bottled Up Like Smoke' on his Crossover EP and Crossroads album. In 2015, Craig collaborated extensively with singer-songwriter Kyle Lucas, releasing the album The Blueprint For Going In Circles and The Le Cube Sessions. He has continued collaborative singles into the 2020s, working with artists like Tilian on 'Back to Life' (2016), PFV on 'Under My Skin' (2020), and Shaker on 'The One' (2023) and 'GOOSEBUMPS' (2023).

Solo career development and releases

As a solo artist, Jonny Craig has released two studio albums, two EPs, and a live album, establishing an independent path alongside his band work. His debut solo album, A Dream Is a Question You Don't Know How to Answer, was released on August 18, 2009, through Rise Records, making him the first individual artist on that label. For promotion, he took press photos in late 2009 with photographer Gage Young in Orlando, Florida and uploaded three songs to his Myspace profile: 'Istillfeelher III', 'Children of Divorce', and '7 AM, 2 Bottles And The Wrong Road'. He started his first solo tour from November through December 2009, supporting AFI and Cinematic Sunrise before headlining with support from Tides of Man and Sleeping With Sirens. He later headlined the 'White Boys With Soul' tour with Fight Fair, Breathe Electric, Mod Sun, and The Divine. In a 2011 interview at Warped Tour with MindEqualsBlown.net, he revealed he was attempting to work with Alex DeLeon of The Cab on a B-side from his solo album. On January 16, 2011, Craig announced an indefinite hiatus to pursue filming a documentary, cancelling all planned records and tours, but recanted this decision five days later, stating on social media, 'hate me all you want people I love what i do and im great at it. IM NEVER GONNA STOP.' His solo EP, Find What You Love and Let It Kill You, was independently released on September 24, 2013, after he bought out his contract with Rise Records and funded the project through an Indiegogo campaign where fans donated money. A special edition of the EP released on November 26, 2013, included a new song featuring two top backers from the campaign, and he also released the song 'Dirty Christmas' that same day. His second and most recent solo album, The Places We'll Never Be, was released in September 2021 on SBG Records, supported by singles like 'Memories', 'Going Under', 'Sadness', and 'U.S.S. Regret'.

Tenure with Slaves and subsequent dismissal

In 2014, Craig formed the band Slaves, which signed with Artery Recordings. The initial lineup featured members Alex Lyman and Christopher Kim of Hearts & Hands with Tai Wright of Four Letter Lie. The band's debut album, Through Art We Are All Equals, was released on June 24, 2014, and featured guest vocals from Kyle Lucas, Tyler Carter of Issues and Vic Fuentes of Pierce The Veil. Its lead single 'The Fire Down Below' premiered on April 22, 2014. Slaves released a new single 'I'd Rather See Your Star Explode' with a music video in 2017. The group's third studio album, Beautiful Death was released on February 16, 2018, and an acoustic EP called Revision was released on January 18, 2019. Craig's time with Slaves was turbulent, marked by incidents that affected the band's standing. In 2015, Slaves were removed from the Warped Tour after Craig was accused of bullying and sexually harassing a female merchandise worker while intoxicated. In 2017, the band was dropped by Artery Recordings following sexual assault allegations made against Craig by several ex-girlfriends, which occurred shortly before the scheduled release of Beautiful Death. The band ultimately dismissed Craig on January 24, 2019, stating in a public Twitter message that he had 'chose his addiction over the band' and left them before an international flight. The message elaborated, 'It's also unfair for a band to rely on someone who just can't rely on themselves... Jonny chose his addiction over the band and left them high & dry while checking in for their international flight while he boarded a plane back home.' Craig later announced intentions to reform Slaves with a new lineup during his 2022 solo tours in the US and UK.

Personal struggles, legal issues, and family

Jonny Craig's career has been significantly impacted by well-documented struggles with substance abuse and related legal problems. In February 2011, he was at the centre of the MacBook scandal where fans accused him of scamming them by taking payments between $600 and $800 for computers that were never delivered. He initially denied involvement, claiming his Twitter was hacked, but soon after dropped off tour with Emarosa and Chiodos to enter detox for heroin addiction. His labels, Rise Records and the Artery Foundation, assumed financial responsibility for reimbursing the victims. Tilian Pearson of Tides of Man substituted for him in Dance Gavin Dance during this period. Craig issued a public apology after completing detox on March 8, 2011. In October 2011, Craig was jailed on two counts of narcotics possession, two counts of drug paraphernalia possession, and one count of failure to appear on a felony charge, with bail set at $15,000, causing Dance Gavin Dance to cancel a tour and go on hiatus. He was released weeks later and completed a 30-day court-ordered detox, being released on March 30, 2012, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for April 30, 2012. On April 2, 2014, an ex-girlfriend accused him of using narcotics again, prompting Craig to address the issue in a now-deleted video where he took a drug test on screen, saying, 'just woke up to a nice surprise from the ex. So I'm headed right down to the office to prove to you guys without a doubt I'm not using.' In an open letter on the Slaves Facebook page in April 2016, he confessed to continuing struggles with addiction and pledged to seek help after his booked solo tour, which included US and European dates with select Slaves members. Regarding his personal life, Craig has two children. He explained in a 2013 acoustic set with Alternative Press that his song 'Children of Divorce' was about a past girlfriend who became pregnant and left after he admitted he did not love her, and he never saw the child. He also has a son with ex-fiancée Sydney England, whose pregnancy was revealed on March 27, 2020, and whose birth was announced on July 13, 2020. Their relationship broke down following interventions from authorities, including Craig's arrest for alleged domestic battery and their infant son being placed in child protective custody.

Musical style, influences, and public perception

Jonny Craig is widely recognised for his soulful and technically skilled singing style, which stands out in the post-hardcore genre. He credits his grandmother, Ruth Lyons, a gospel singer and preacher's wife, with teaching him everything he knows about music, stating, 'despite the fact that I may not believe in her beliefs, I believe in what she taught me.' Though he has a Christian background, he describes himself as an atheist. His primary musical inspirations are soul and R&B artists like Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, and Craig David, alongside Motown acts and the band MewithoutYou. This influence is evident in his vocal delivery, which often incorporates melodic runs and emotional intensity more commonly associated with soul music. Craig has performed live covers of songs by Justin Timberlake ('Cry Me a River'), Drake ('Marvins Room'), and Cee Lo Green ('Fuck You'), further demonstrating his range and connection to contemporary R&B. Reviewers have frequently praised his voice as a defining element, with Hollywood Music Magazine calling him 'a legend' and stating 'if you've yet to hear him sing you have been missing out.' His ability to blend soul vocals with the aggressive instrumentation of post-hardcore has influenced a generation of singers within the scene. Despite his professional acclaim, public perception has been heavily shaped by his personal struggles, with his battles with addiction and related controversies often making headlines alongside his musical releases.

Discography and release timeline

Jonathan Monroe Craig, known as Jonny Craig, is an American-Canadian singer. He has built an extensive discography as the former lead vocalist for bands like Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa, and Slaves. As a solo artist, Craig has released two studio albums, two EPs, and a live album. His work is characterized by a distinctive soul-based singing style and collaborations with other prominent musicians in the alternative scene.

As a solo artist, Jonny Craig released his debut album, A Dream Is a Question You Don't Know How to Answer, in 2009. He later released the solo EP Find What You Love and Let It Kill You in 2013. His second and most recent solo album, The Places We'll Never Be, was released in September 2021. He has also released collaborative works, such as The Blueprint For Going In Circles with Kyle Lucas in 2015.

• A Dream Is a Question You Don't Know How to Answer (Studio Album, Rise Records, 2009)
• Find What You Love and Let It Kill You (EP, Independent, 2013)
• The Places We'll Never Be (Studio Album, SBG Records, 2021)

With Dance Gavin Dance, Jonny Craig performed on the debut EP Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean and the album Downtown Battle Mountain. He was the lead vocalist for Emarosa and appears on their Relativity album. With Slaves, he released albums including Through Art We Are All Equals in 2014 and Beautiful Death in 2018. He was also co-lead vocalist for the short-lived supergroup Isles & Glaciers, which released the EP The Hearts of Lonely People in 2010.

• With westerHALTS: 'Change, Leisure, and Retirement' (Single, self-released, 2001)
• With Ghost Runner on Third: Speak Your Dreams EP (Goodbye Blue Skies, 2005)
• With Isles & Glaciers: The Hearts of Lonely People EP (2010)
• With Slaves: Through Art We Are All Equals (Artery Recordings, 2014), Beautiful Death (2018), Revision EP (2019)
• With Old Flame: 'Pray' (Single, 2024), 'Thank You For The Patience' (Single, 2024)

Craig has also released a significant number of solo singles since 2013, including 'Nobody Ever Will', 'Rhythm in My Soul', 'House of War', 'The Lives We Live', and 'Dirty Christmas'. In 2011, he released the songs 'Lenon Bus' and 'Goddamn, I'm Good Lookin' (ft. Metasota)'. Several unreleased songs were leaked in 2012, including 'I Belong Out There' and 'When It Rains It Pours', and again in 2014, including 'Attention' and 'Burning Bridges'.

Career chronology and major events

Jonny Craig's career began in 2000 with the garage band westerHALTS. He then joined Ghost Runner on Third in 2002. His major band tenures include Dance Gavin Dance and Emarosa from 2007 to 2012. He was part of Isles & Glaciers from 2008 to 2010. Craig was the lead vocalist for Slaves from 2014 until his dismissal in 2019. In 2024, he launched a new project called Old Flame. His career has been marked by frequent transitions between bands.

Jonny Craig played a central role in defining post-hardcore acts like Dance Gavin Dance and Emarosa. His career includes intense productivity but also highly publicized personal crises. These include a 2011 internet scam related to his heroin addiction, which led to detox and a public apology. He faced legal issues in 2011 for narcotics possession, resulting in jail time and court-ordered rehab. These incidents directly impacted his band memberships, leading to tours being cancelled or performed without him. He grew up mostly in Canada, in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Questions about Jonny Craig

Why was Jonny Craig kicked out of Dance Gavin Dance?

Jonny Craig was dismissed from Dance Gavin Dance on two separate occasions. The first was in 2007 after the Saints and Sinners Festival in New Jersey. The second and final dismissal occurred on August 13, 2012, after he was publicly scolded by the owner of Sumerian Records for multiple offenses. The band's statements over the years have linked his removals to behavioral issues and struggles with addiction, with the 2012 departure being particularly definitive and public.

What was the MacBook scandal involving Jonny Craig?

In February 2011, multiple fans accused Craig of orchestrating an internet scam where he offered to sell used MacBook computers via his Twitter account. After accepting payments from at least 16 individuals, averaging between $600 and $800 each, he ceased communication and did not deliver the goods. Craig initially denied the accusations, claiming his Twitter was hacked, but soon after entered a detox facility for heroin addiction. His record labels, Rise Records and the Artery Foundation, assumed financial responsibility to reimburse the victims. He issued a public apology after completing detox treatment on March 8, 2011.

What bands has Jonny Craig been in?

Jonny Craig has been the lead vocalist for several influential post-hardcore bands. His major band affiliations include Dance Gavin Dance (2007, 2010 to 2012), Emarosa (2007 to 2011), and Slaves (2014 to 2019). He was also a co-lead vocalist for the supergroup Isles & Glaciers (2008 to 2010). As of 2024, he is the lead vocalist for a new project called Old Flame.

What is Jonny Craig's vocal style?

Jonny Craig is known for a powerful, soul-influenced singing style that contrasts with the heavier post-hardcore instrumentation of his bands. He cites soul and R&B artists like Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, and Craig David as major influences, alongside Motown acts. His technique, which includes melodic runs and emotional delivery, was shaped by early exposure to gospel music through his grandmother, a gospel singer and preacher's wife, despite his personal identification as an atheist. Critics and fans often highlight his voice as the standout element in his musical projects.

Is Jonny Craig Canadian?

Jonny Craig is an American Canadian singer. He was born in Minot, North Dakota, United States but grew up mostly in Canada. He moved back to the United States when he became an adult after spending formative years in Abbotsford, British Columbia. This background gives him a dual nationality status. His early life and musical influences were shaped during his time in Canada.

What is Jonny Craig doing now in 2024?

As of 2024, Jonny Craig is the lead vocalist for the American post hardcore band Old Flame. He launched this new project in March 2024 with its debut single, 'Pray'. A second single called 'Thank You For The Patience' followed in May 2024. This current role follows his extensive career as a solo artist and as former lead vocalist for bands like Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa, and Slaves. His most recent solo album was 'The Places We'll Never Be' released in September 2021.

Sources and further reading

• Jonny Craig (Wikipedia)
• Jonny Craig Tickets, 2026 to 2027 Concert Tour Dates (ticketmaster.ca)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-31.