Jonny Diaz
Encyclopedia
Jonny Diaz is an American
contemporary Christian
pop artist originally from Lakeland, Florida
. His song "More Beautiful You" has charted on American Christian music charts. His major record label debut album of the same name has charted on Billboard
magazine's Top Heatseekers
and Top Christian Albums charts.
to play baseball for Florida State University
. Diaz was the fourth of four brothers to get a college baseball scholarship. His brother Matt Diaz
is an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves
, and another one of his brothers played baseball professionally. He started college in the second half of 2002 and played on the team for one year. According to Jesus Freak Hideout
, he "felt God calling him to pursue music".
Diaz released his first album Shades of White in August 2003 right before he began his second year of college; his second album, Everyday God, was released during his fourth year of college. He collaborated with producer Mitch Dane
on his third CD They Need Love and the project came out in March 2007. That album included the song "Hold Me", which got him attention when the song placed on the Top 40 charts.
Diaz's major label debut album More Beautiful You album has appeared on several Billboard
magazine charts; on July 25, 2009 it was ranked #32 on the Top Christian Albums chart and #25 on the Top Heatseekers
chart. The album's lead single
"More Beautiful You" hit the American charts in mid-2009 and reached #2 on Billboards Hot Christian Songs
chart by the end of August 2009. The song tells young women that they are beautiful the way they are. Diaz said "I hope to get the attention of females and tell them the truth found in God's Word, that there could never be a more beautiful you."
His music career was essentially started by leading worship for the youth group of the First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, FL, playing with Brett Blondell and Vanessa Barbee.
says his style "nearly echoes the sound of Jason Mraz
". Christian Manifesto says "Armed with a guitar and a clear message, his music is easily identifiable as that 'safe' genre 'acoustic pop'. But, at least, it is stellar acoustic pop, this time." His sound has been compared to Dave Barnes
, Bebo Norman
, John Mayer
, and Brandon Heath
.
, Steven Curtis Chapman
, MercyMe
, Bebo Norman
, and Shane & Shane
. He has performed at several Christian music festivals such as the Alive Festival
and Atlanta Fest. On his official website, he announce that he will be touring with Matthew West
on the "Story of Your Life Tour".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
contemporary Christian
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
pop artist originally from Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. His song "More Beautiful You" has charted on American Christian music charts. His major record label debut album of the same name has charted on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
and Top Christian Albums charts.
Career
After graduating from high school, Diaz was offered a full athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to play baseball for Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
. Diaz was the fourth of four brothers to get a college baseball scholarship. His brother Matt Diaz
Matt Diaz
Matthew Edward Diaz is a Major League Baseball outfielder who plays for the Atlanta Braves. He grew up in Lakeland, Florida.-Amateur career:...
is an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, and another one of his brothers played baseball professionally. He started college in the second half of 2002 and played on the team for one year. According to Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
, he "felt God calling him to pursue music".
Diaz released his first album Shades of White in August 2003 right before he began his second year of college; his second album, Everyday God, was released during his fourth year of college. He collaborated with producer Mitch Dane
Mitch Dane
Mitch Dane is an American record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. In his 20 years of production/engineering experience, Mitch has worked mostly in Rock, Roots/Rock and Singer/Songwriter records, but continues to work in other styles like Hip-Hop, Industrial and even bluegrass/Americana...
on his third CD They Need Love and the project came out in March 2007. That album included the song "Hold Me", which got him attention when the song placed on the Top 40 charts.
Diaz's major label debut album More Beautiful You album has appeared on several Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine charts; on July 25, 2009 it was ranked #32 on the Top Christian Albums chart and #25 on the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart. The album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
"More Beautiful You" hit the American charts in mid-2009 and reached #2 on Billboards Hot Christian Songs
Hot Christian Songs
Christian Songs is a Billboard chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States....
chart by the end of August 2009. The song tells young women that they are beautiful the way they are. Diaz said "I hope to get the attention of females and tell them the truth found in God's Word, that there could never be a more beautiful you."
His music career was essentially started by leading worship for the youth group of the First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, FL, playing with Brett Blondell and Vanessa Barbee.
Sound
Jesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
says his style "nearly echoes the sound of Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
". Christian Manifesto says "Armed with a guitar and a clear message, his music is easily identifiable as that 'safe' genre 'acoustic pop'. But, at least, it is stellar acoustic pop, this time." His sound has been compared to Dave Barnes
Dave Barnes
Dave Barnes is an American rock-R&B-contemporary Christian singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee.-Early life:...
, Bebo Norman
Bebo Norman
Jeffrey Stephen "Bebo" Norman is a contemporary Christian musician from Columbus, Georgia, USA. His most successful album to date is Myself When I Am Real, which included hit songs "Great Light of the World" and "Falling Down". Other popular songs by Norman include "Disappear", "Nothing Without...
, John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
, and Brandon Heath
Brandon Heath
Brandon Heath is a contemporary Christian musician from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released three studio albums: Don't Get Comfortable , What If We and "Leaving Eden" . He is best known for the No. 1 "I'm Not Who I Was" and "Give Me Your Eyes". He was nominated four times at the Dove Awards of...
.
Touring
Diaz has appeared as an opening act for Building 429Building 429
Building 429 is a Christian rock band signed to Essential Records. They were the Gospel Music Association 2005 New Artist of the Year. Their name is derived from a Biblical passage known as Ephesians 4:29, which, in the New International Version of the Bible, reads as follows: "Do not let any...
, Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
, MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
, Bebo Norman
Bebo Norman
Jeffrey Stephen "Bebo" Norman is a contemporary Christian musician from Columbus, Georgia, USA. His most successful album to date is Myself When I Am Real, which included hit songs "Great Light of the World" and "Falling Down". Other popular songs by Norman include "Disappear", "Nothing Without...
, and Shane & Shane
Shane & Shane
Shane & Shane is a Texas based, Christian band known for acoustic praise and worship music. The band consists of Shane Barnard and Shane Everett...
. He has performed at several Christian music festivals such as the Alive Festival
Alive Festival
Alive Festival, located in Mineral City, Ohio, Alive is an annual Christian music festival. It features many Christian musicians and popular Christian bands, as well as several Christian speakers and worship leaders. The festival began in 1988 and celebrated its 20th anniversary June 20–23,...
and Atlanta Fest. On his official website, he announce that he will be touring with Matthew West
Matthew West
On July 26, 2002, only a week or two before signing a record contract with Universal South Records, West had an injury to his left arm which threatened his musical career and guitar playing. He says, "I locked myself out of my house. But I'd done that before, and I had a way of breaking in through...
on the "Story of Your Life Tour".
Albums
- 2003: Shades of White (Independent)
- 2006: Everyday God (Independent)
- 2007: They Need Love (Independent)
- 2009: More Beautiful You (INO)
- 2011: "Jonny Diaz" (INO)
Singles
- "Hold Me" (2008)
- "More Beautiful You" (2009)
- "Stand For You" (2010)
- "Waiting Room"(2010)
- "Beauty of the Cross" (2011)