Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Jonathan Freeman of Culver City

We recently had the chance to connect with Jonathan Freeman and have shared our conversation below.

Jonathan, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I’ve started getting up really early and I love it. Waking up around 530/6. It really changes the course of the day for me. I’ve been studying the Gene Keys. If you don’t know about it, it’s too much to explain but it’s weird and amazing and gets down and dirty and deep with what makes you tick. So I do that and meditate. And then I’ve got a new little rescue dog with a big ol’ chip on his shoulder so we take a nice long adventure training walk for some bonding time. Pretty peaceful morning time situation these days.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Yo! I’m Jonny. AKA Jonathan R. Freeman. AKA Johnny Marfa. I’m an LA artist who acts, writes, sings, whatever. I just gotta create. I am a New Mexico born, Texas raised, New York City forged, LA living actor/artist/writer/country music superstar. I’ve been on TV and in the movies. Voiced video games and beer commercials. Treaded the boards performing everything from Shakespeare to Ragtime and has been singing his songs on stage in one form or another for god knows how long. My current project is Johnny Marfa and The Lights, a Southern-fried, Cali-fied Texas tornado of good times. Honky tonk dance outfit.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The belief that I have to do it all on my own.
I learned very early on in my life that no one was coming to help me. My mother passed away when I was 13 and no one was there for me. My uncle was abusing me and no one was there for me. Even when I told the family. Nobody gave a shit. I went inside and decided if I was gonna make it out alive I had to figure it out by myself. And for the next 30 years or so, that’s what I did. But in retrospect that wasn’t true. I’ve had people in my corner for most of my life after I left home. I just couldn’t see them clearly because of the walls I’d built as a child. I’m just now beginning to tear them down and embrace my support system. It’s a long hard road to undo the things we did to keep ourselves safe as kids when we’re grown. But well worth it.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Oh, hell yeah. On the macro level…There were dark days in NYC. I’d walk home from the bars around 4 AM. Across the Brooklyn Bridge in the snow. I’d stop every time for a good long think about jumping. Came real close a couple a time. Actually climbed out onto the railing. I’ve held a gun in my hands more than once. But something always stops me. My Momma planted some kinda seed that’s always kept me going.
On the daily micro level…I think about giving up all the time. It’s hard work trying to get better, be better, do the right thing, keep opening your heart and making art even if the chances are high the world doesn’t give a damn. And to be an artist period. It’s just hard.
But you just have a pity party and then dust yourself off and make something. Sometimes you just gotta move. Get off the couch and pull some weeds. Literally.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Childhood sexual abuse. It’s the last great convo we’re still afraid to talk about. People just don’t wanna hear it. But it’s happening. Everyday. All the time. Especially in the church. I had my own experience coming out and exposing my abuser. And the response was staggering. I knew it would be rough but the vitriol I received from so called Christian God fearing people was pretty gross.
But we have to start talking about it and protecting our kids. The statistics show it’s not the boogey man under the bed. It’s somebody you know most of the time. For me it was my uncle. Who played Jesus in a passion play for 30 years and was part of a singing Gospel duo with my old man. Nicest guy you ever met. But he did me dirty. And I’ve been unpacking it for the past 15 years.
Those abused kids grow up and become hurt adults. That hurt is gonna materialize somehow.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What light inside you have you been dimming?
I’ve been dimming my light my entire life. The whole thing. 360 degrees. I’ve tried to paint over it, tattoo it, call it something else, defer it, ignore it, drown it out with drugs and alcohol…but I haven’t truly let it shine since my mom died.
But I’m working on it. Everyday. And it gets a little brighter each time I tend to the fire. I’m almost 50. I spent the first half of my life slapping whatever I could find onto my identity thinking this is the thing that I’ve been missing until
I was buried under a mountain of disingenuous bullshit. And now I’ve begun the process of removing it all. Piece by piece. Who knew it would take so long to figure all this shit out but I guess I’ve always taken the long way home. It’s usually a prettier drive.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://Johnnymarfa.com
• Instagram: johnnymarfaandthelights, jonrandallfreeman
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/a0PoAGvNhLw?si=iXhzzZr0IudBNB8z

Image Credits
Circles of Sound for two lives shots of me with guitar
Johnny Lavelle Photography for angel wings