Jonny Hawkins was born on October 28, 1986. He became Nothing More’s lead singer after spending years as the band’s drummer, carrying percussion into a role that also made his personal experiences central to its songs. On “Go to War,” that meant giving voice to the fear and uncertainty inside a failing relationship.
His musical connections began well before a record deal. Hawkins met guitarist Mark Vollelunga at a camp in seventh grade and knew bassist Daniel Oliver through Community Bible Church. His experience on the drum line at Reagan High School also helped shape Nothing More’s ensemble percussion. As he explained to MySA in 2013, moving to lead vocals meant taking some drums with him.
Finding his voice took longer than changing his place onstage. In a 2014 Radio Metal interview, Hawkins recalled serious doubts about whether he could handle the job. “I wasn’t a good singer when I started,” he said, explaining that he needed time to develop. The Few Not Fleeting, released in 2009, became the first Nothing More album with him singing lead.
The band’s independence gave that development room to continue. Hawkins told OOTB Publications in 2014 that the musicians moved into a house together and spent roughly two years recording their self-titled album. They wanted the quality of a major label release, but had to reach it with their own limited resources. Time was what they could afford to spend. After repeated label rejections, they completed the record themselves. A main stage opportunity at Aftershock in 2013 then helped change the conversation: Hawkins recalled being invited back after another act canceled, followed by a rush of label interest. Nothing More ultimately signed with Eleven Seven.
The music they had made during those uncertain years was deeply personal. Hawkins told Radio Metal that “God Went North” grew out of his mother’s struggle with cancer, while “Jenny” addressed his sister’s difficulties with addiction and mental illness. Those family experiences unfolded alongside relationship problems and doubts about the band’s future. He described the self-titled record as a healing process, with the songs allowing him to express emotions that had accumulated over several years. Singing gave him a direct way to share those experiences with other people.
That willingness to examine his own life continued on 2017’s The Stories We Tell Ourselves. Speaking with RockUrLife in December 2017, Hawkins said he had been going through a divorce as work began on the album. Its title grew from his thinking about how interpretations of the past and expectations for the future could shape his decisions. “Go to War” explored what happened when two people stopped feeling secure with each other and fear took over. Hawkins said the band had recognized its potential early, although the label initially resisted making it the first single.
The album and song led to nominations in three categories at the 2018 Grammy Awards. The Stories We Tell Ourselves was nominated for Best Rock Album, while “Go to War” received Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song nominations, with Hawkins among its credited songwriters. He told RockUrLife that he learned the news in a van after an overnight drive. Vollelunga’s excited phone conversation initially annoyed him because he was trying to sleep. They took in the news, went back to sleep and saved a proper celebration for later.
