Jonathan Paul "Jon" Auer (born September 29, 1969) is an American musician who co-founded the

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ...

band

The Posies The Posies were an American power pop group. The band was formed in 1986 in Bellingham, Washington, United States, by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. Their music has its origins in Merseybeat and the Hollies. They are ...

, along with

Ken Stringfellow Kenneth Stuart Stringfellow (born October 30, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. Best known for his work with The Posies, R.E.M., and the re-formed Big Star, Stringfellow's discography includ ...

. Auer and Stringfellow also participated in the rejuvenated

Big Star Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1971 by Alex Chilton (vocals, guiar), Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). The group broke up in early 1975, and reorganized with a new ...

and in 2003 released ''Private Sides'', a six-song split EP ( Arena Rock Recording Co./

Rykodisc Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance. History Claiming to be the first CD-only independent record la ...

). Auer played

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

on the 2004

William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship ''Enterpri ...

record '' Has Been'' which was produced and arranged by

Ben Folds Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer, who is the first artistic advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., since May 2017. Folds was ...

. Auer was a founding member of Sky Cries Mary, a member of

The Squirrels The Squirrels are a novelty pop band based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1984 by lead vocalist Rob Morgan (founder, as well, of the ''Poplust'' zine), the band went through numerous lineups, but has stuck to the aesthetic that Peter Blecha ...

, Lucky Me,

Jean Jacket Shotgun Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jean ...

and Chariot. As a solo artist, his credentials include: an EP, ''6^1_/2'' and a full-length record on the label Pattern25 called ''

Songs from the Year of Our Demise ''Songs from the Year of Our Demise'' is the debut solo album from The Posies' Jon Auer. It was released on May 2, 2006, and highlighted by AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. ...

''. As a

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

, he has worked with bands such as

You Am I You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by its lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, Tim Rogers. They formed in December 1989 and are the first Australian band to have released three successive albums that have each debuted ...

, Monostereo,

Cheap Star Cheap may refer to: *Cheapness * ''Cheap'' (album), debut album from Seasick Steve *Cheap (ward), London, UK *Flatwoods, Kentucky, previously known as Cheap See also *Cheapskate A miser is a person who is reluctant to spend, sometimes to th ...

, Love Battery, Redd Kross, Truly, The Melismatics, and Tad.

Personal life

Auer grew up in

Bellingham, Washington Bellingham ( ) is the most populous city in, and county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It lies south of the U.S.–Canada border in between two major cities of the Pacific Northwest: Vancouver, British Columbia (lo ...

. His father was a university professor who also played music. They built a recording studio at home, which Jon used as a teenager. Auer is three times divorced. With his previous wife, he has released an album under the name Dynamo Royale.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Auer, Jon Arena Rock Recording Company artists American rock guitarists American male guitarists Living people Big Star members 1969 births The Minus 5 members The Posies members Power pop musicians 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American guitarists