Member Highlight: Jon Mentgen

Here is one of our many members who have brought life to our community. We are grateful to see the process and progress our members share with us, and we are honored to give them the spotlight! Their story is our story. Read on to be inspired by our latest Member Highlight interview…


Meet Jon

Jon is from Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.

What do you do during the day?
I am a Registered Nurse. I work in a Cardiovascular ICU. It is a pretty stressful job but very rewarding. I get to help recover people from open heart surgeries and other problems with their hearts and blood vessels (I'll spare you the unpleasant details). I see people at their absolute worst, but I also get to see them fully recovered which makes it worth the mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting demands. Music was my part time job before becoming a nurse. Now, it is mainly my hobby.

What Day of 100 is your piece from?

1-7/ 100

Lyrics:

My Love
by Jon Mentgen

Oh, my love where do you go
My love I got to know
Is there hate in your heart for me
Please, tell me true
Oh, my love I’m so lonely without you

Oh, my love who do you see
Oh my love I know it’s not me
You been fooling around so much
What have you done
Please, stop playing with my love

This foolish heart of mine, it pains me
Until I don’t even know what to do
I know there is nothing that can save me
You said, “you were the one for me.”  
Now I know it ain’t true, my love

My love, you turned cold as ice
My love, you turned day into night
You got what you want from me
Then you threw my love away
Now, I’m drowning in this pain, my love

My love, you may have put the hurt on me
But my love is stronger than you believed
You blew a hole in my heart one day
But, I got it right back like a ricochet
You just can’t kill my love

Listen here:
Click here to listen

Is there anything surprising about your musical taste?
I fell in love with Reggae music when I played in a Reggae band for a couple of years. People don't usually associate me with this musical style. I also have a guilty pleasure with Dub Step music. Love that bass drop. I have such a varied taste in music. I studied jazz in college. I toured with a rock band after college. Played Celtic and Reggae and Bluegrass too. My songwriting reflects my eclectic tastes, I think. Lately, I've been writing in a country/soul/blues genre.

What does your songwriting habit look like?
I am always thinking about songwriting or recording. I always have a tune that I'm working on running through my head. I do some form of songwriting or recording on my days off.

Official music page:
Soundcloud

Who are your influences? How have they shaped you?
I'm inspired by brave, honest and smart people. One in particular that inspired me in my early songwriting journey was Cat Stevens. I just love the uniqueness of his voice and songwriting. I also love the interesting life story he has led. Politics and Religion aside, his songwriting is so singular to me.

What challenge are you facing with songwriting?
I feel sometimes that I've reached my limits with my guitar in terms of coming up with fresh ideas. Or at least coming up with ideas that aren't cliche. I have been attempting to play piano and that is fun. I also feel that I fall into familiar ideas and phrases, words etc... But, I work to expand my palette and imagination all the time.

Tell us an early memory about a song that woke something up inside you.
There are a few A-ha! moments for me early on. One was in elementary school (maybe 4th grade). I heard Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall (part 2)" coming from my older brother's bedroom. Vinyl, of course! I remember hearing the chorus of children's voices and thinking it was odd that they were shouting to their teacher. I also found it very cool, probably because I admired my older brother too. Following that, I was introduced to more late 70's and early 80's rock and fell in love with music. I would drift off to sleep at night with my clock radio whispering classic rock music in my ear. I naturally gravitated towards the guitar because my father also played. I was hooked after that.

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