Jon Lindsay

Jonathan Lindsay Phillips (born 1980/1) is an American recording artist. Lindsay made his full-length debut in 2010 with the LP Escape From Plaza-Midwood. In 2013, he cofounded the arts collective North Carolina Music Love Army with Caitlin Cary.

Early life Lindsay is from Portland, Oregon. Lindsay attended West Charlotte High School. He then studied English at Queens University of Charlotte, Lindsay began his career playing and singing in Benji Hughes, as well as fronting his own rock bands The Catch Fire and The Young Sons. Lindsay produced the debut album "Hearts Inc" for The Young Sons in 2007; the group disbanded in 2008.

Lindsay signed to Chicago-based label Chocolate Lab Records in May 2010. He made his solo debut with the release of his 15-song LP record Escape From Plaza-Midwood on August 17, 2010. The title is a reference to the Plaza Midwood neighborhood where Lindsay lived and a failed suburb by University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he grew up. Concurrent with the album release was the 7-inch EP Coping Strategies, which features four songs from Escape From Plaza-Midwood. Spencer Griffith for Indy Week wrote that the album is "a sprawling opus of pop rock splendor." Freeden Oeur of PopMatters gave the album an 8.

Justin Gerber for Consequence Of Sound wrote, "The opening track is terrific. Lindsay released an EP in 2009, but “End Times” plays as an honest-to-goodness introduction. Nostalgic without being sticky-sweet or reaching “sad bastard” status, Lindsay connects with his audience very well. “My Blue Angels” is power-pop at its finest, with driving percussion anchoring the catchy chorus."

Following Escape, Lindsay toured the US for most of 2011, both solo and with his backing band. He also signed a music publishing deal with North Star Media, performed at several festivals, and began preparations for his next releases: the EP Could It Be Christmas?, which has a loose holiday theme (November 29, 2011); Rumormill, the debut LP of Lindsay's side project The Catch Fire (No More Fake Labels, December 6, 2011).

Lindsay's LP Summer Wilderness Program was released on June 26, 2012.

Lindsay performed a Daytrotter Session on January 27, 2012, and a second Daytrotter Session on November 15, 2013.

On October 26, 2015, The Indy Weekly premiered "All Them Houses", the first single from Lindsay's Cities & Schools LP. The track was released digitally on November 6, 2015. On November 24, 2015, Paste Magazine premiered "Lifer", the second single from the Cities LP. The Cities & Schools LP was released on June 10, 2016. To promote the record Lindsay toured the US and Europe. Big Takeover premiered the video for "Little Queen Drum Machine" on June 26, 2016. Lindsay previously performed "Zebulon" in 2016.

Daffin Records released Lindsay's fourth album, "Big Stage", on May 16, 2025. The album launch included three singles with videos: "Big Stage", "Anti-Inflammatory", and "Dear Assassin", and a fourth single without a video, "Letters To Randy Newman". Lindsay toured the US supporting the record, with a run of west coast and east coast dates, as well as an official SXSW appearance. The tour was billed as "An Evening Extreme featuring Benji Hughes and Jon Lindsay", with Lindsay pulling nightly double duty, opening each show with a set heavy on songs from "Big Stage", then accompanying Hughes for the headline duo set, featuring songs from the entire Hughes songbook. At the show in Solvang, CA, on March 20th, Lindsay and Hughes were interviewed live on stage by Jeff Bridges prior to their performances. Jackson Browne joined the duo for a medley of songs by Warren Zevon later in the evening.

Political activism Lindsay is known for his political work, having released various songs in response to different political and social events.

Lindsay and Caitlin Cary of Whiskeytown co-founded the North Carolina Music Love Army, a non-profit music collective, in late June 2013 in support of the Moral Mondays protests. Caitlin Cary reached out to Lindsay to form the group after watching the video for his song "NC GOP Just Don't Know Me" on YouTube. Lindsay was inspired to create the song after viewing Django Haskins's song "We Are Not for Sale". The group recruited 40 members by July. They released the 10-track vinyl "We Are Not for Sale: Songs of Protest" on November 26, 2013, with proceeds being donated to progressive groups in North Carolina. In December 2016, Lindsay organized and performed at "Hate Free By The Sea" in Wilmington, NC, a benefit concert in support of a UNCW student who received threats after being bullied by a faculty member because of her race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Discography Magic Winter & the Dirty South EP (released in 2009; re-issued February 2011 on Chocolate Lab Records) Escape From Plaza-Midwood LP (August 17, 2010, Chocolate Lab Records) Coping Strategies 7-inch EP (August 17, 2010, Chocolate Lab Records) Could It Be Christmas? EP (November 29, 2011, Bear Hearts Fox) Summer Wilderness Program LP (June 26, 2012, Bear Hearts Fox) Cities & Schools LP (June 10, 2016, File 13 Records) Happy Old Pictures EP (2016) — with NC Music Love Army Big Stage LP (May 16, 2025, Daffin Records)