‘…it was Kylie, my sister, who said ‘…you know, you’re going to kick yourself if you don’t try…’ She was the one who told me ‘…what you’re doing isn’t necessarily normal. You might think that you’re not good enough to do it … Also, don’t try to be famous, don’t try to, you know, go make money, do this as a job, anything like that, just go be vulnerable with people and see what happens, share your experience…’
Jonah Kagen
Singer/Guitarist
[ERIC] I’m just going to chitchat for a minute because I want to catch up with you…I’ve been hearing about you and looking at stuff on Facebook that your dad posts and talking to your dad for 23 years. And you know, I’ve known your pop since he was born.
[JONAH] He told me, he said, you’re the closest thing he’s ever had to a big brother, which I think is that speaks a lot coming from him. I’ve heard nothing but lovely things about you and I love what you’re doing. Also. I had no idea that you were running this program out in Asheville. I love Asheville and I love what you’re doing. I think it’s amazing.
[ERIC] I appreciate that. Yeah. I started out in… working with, with troubled kids way back when and morphed into being a teacher and then went down the road of… I was a principal for schools for kids with emotional problems and then kept on growing and changing and ended up in the adult world. And now here at CooperRiis doing this stuff and now your dad, your parents live 35 minutes away.
[JONAH] Have you gotten to see him yet?
[ERIC] Yeah. We played golf out there one time and he’s rocking and rolling himself- he’s busy. We’re going to get together soon. I hope. I mean, he’s up there high in the mountains, he’s got bears knocking on his door.
[JONAH] Did he show you the house? Have you seen it?
[ERIC] Yes.
[JONAH] Ridiculous. It’s ridiculous…and the fact that bears just kind of wander onto the front porch is absurd, but it’s also such a lovely place and I think they’re happy there.
[ERIC] Well, we’ll see. I hope they stay. It’s pretty amazing.
[JONAH] I’m on my hands and knees. I’m begging for them to stay in that house. Are you kidding? I would love to have that house around for a while.
[ERIC] Yeah, seriously. Where do you live most of the time?
[JONAH] I split time between Nashville and Miami. So I’m in Miami right now.
[ERIC] Okay, that’s very cool. And you’re not touring at the moment. You’re taking a break.
[JONAH] Not at the moment. I just got back. Um, let’s see, when did I get back? A couple weeks ago. Um, I was on the road and heading back out first quarter next year.
[ERIC] Yeah, I think I saw that… I, what I wanted to do to prep for this. I wanted to go, I mean… I’ve been listening to your music, but I wanted to dive in and listen to some of the early stuff. Some, I mean, it’s all early, you know, what, three years old, but listen to, … what was your first hit, “Broken”?
[JONAH] That was the first, that was the first song that I ever put out. And that was kind of how I got into music, uh, like as a professional career as well.
[ERIC] Were you going to do this? I mean, you’re a soccer star at Cornell with a psych degree. Your dad told me what. How did you become an international music superstar?
[JONAH] Oh man. Those are all, those are all stop… my, my head’s gonna be too big to…
[ERIC] Yeah, I know. But you know, I talked to your father so…
[JONAH] Yeah, true. If you talk to him, you’re gonna get unicorns and rainbows, I think.
[ERIC] Absolutely.
I’ve read in some of the comments that people are writing on your {social media} …, when you look up your music and people comment on like, ‘this is therapy, man’. And I think, didn’t your dad say you had a degree in psychology? I mean, there’s something here.
Eric Levine
President/CEO
[JONAH] Uh, no. So, I… music was definitely something… it was a reprieve for me. It wasn’t ever “The Job”, you know, and you know, my dad… he’s a practical guy. It was… he’s very smart. He’s very math oriented. And that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to be something practical. Same thing…and my mom is a nurse, you know, it was all…I was definitely a dreamer in a lot of ways, but I didn’t think I was good enough to do the music thing. And then it wasn’t until COVID happened and I started actually posting stuff and it was Kylie, my sister, who said, she was like, ‘…you know, you’re going to kick yourself if you don’t try…’ She was the one who told me like, well, ‘…what you’re doing isn’t necessarily normal. You might think that you’re not good enough to do it or… just try, just don’t put anything on there… Also, don’t try to be famous, don’t try to, you know, go make money, do this as a job, anything like that, just go be vulnerable with people and see what happens, share your experience…’
And that ended up being the most, you know, rewarding piece of advice ever. But the moment that it became a reality, I was like, ‘Oh, I could actually do this’. And then just went full throttle.
[ERIC] Well, it’s remarkable because, you know, I’ve got people close to me that love music. My brother plays music and lots of people play music, but you know, it’s like less than 1 percent of people write something and the world loves it and suddenly you’re on your way. That’s remarkable. And it’s funny. I’m just saying it so reminds me of your father, you know, your father was…with beating me in ping pong when he was eight, okay, you know…
[JONAH] Thats so funny.
[ERIC] It’s true. He would dive all over the basement to return shots and it would work. You know, thank God I’m a foot taller than him because he would be in basketball by the time he was…
[JONAS] It’s funny because we did the same thing. I think I followed in his footsteps in a lot of different ways and I’m a great mix of, of both of my parents because I think, um… it’s so funny you say that because, me and my dad were doing the same thing. I was playing, giving him a game when I was 7, 8, you know, we got videos of me getting all mad and competitive up in the, up in the ping pong room or wherever we were just getting so competitive.
[ERIC] Oh yeah. Oh yeah. And, and, and, you know, and your dad’s a super talent and a genius and he’s done well. And I remember he was pretty much a prodigy with the piano. Right. I mean, he…
[JONAS] Yeah…Unbelievable. Yea, and it’s really interesting. We talk about this a lot cause we don’t… the way that we play music is a bit different. So we talk about music every now and again, but he the type of musician you could put any piece of music down in front of him and he’ll play. And it’s on, but like his sight reading is incredible, his reading is incredible. But if you ask him to take a solo, he wouldn’t know what to do with it. Whereas me, on the other hand, I’m much more, … I just do my stuff by ear.
And so it’s funny cause neither of us are… both of us appreciate, I guess what the other one does in music, but coming from a musical family, cause on my mom’s side, my grandfather was the first one who introduced me to music and showed me that it was cool to be a musician, you know. So it was it was awesome man, but yeah to your point I had no idea that I was going to do this, but as soon as I had the opportunity to…
‘…the only way I think you can kind of repay the universe for that {ed: my} sort of gift is by speaking from a place like “Broken” does or from a place like the newer music does and not necessarily being something contrived but something that’s aimed at actually helping people or being therapy to someone because I think, I strongly believe that music is the closest human connection to heaven and to any sort of light that’s beyond, you know, our own reality.’
Jonah Kagen
Singer/Guitarist
Music and Lyrical Healing Therapy
[ERIC] You know, what struck me. Obviously the connection strikes me, but deeper than that, {what} I was looking at in particular, the lyrics to “Broken”. And I think if I’ve got it right, you say in there, ‘…pull me out of the fire… I’m burning up inside…’, which I remember the first time I heard that song, your dad sent it to me and said, “you gotta listen to this” and I was like “Oh, my God, who is this?”, you know, and then… I’ve been listening to the music and I pulled out those lyrics and it spoke to me as a human, as a person, but also in terms of what I do, those lyrics are kind of a metaphor for what we try to do in my world here at CooperRiis– we try to work with the person to help them step out of the fire. Because they’re burning up inside. I mean, yeah, that stuff happens here every day. We have got 80 beds. There’s always something wonderful happening, but there’s also at the same time, some really tough stuff happening. And when I read this, I think about the impact. I’ve read in some of the comments that people are writing on your…you know, when you look up your music and people comment on like, ‘this is therapy, man’. And I think, didn’t your dad say you had a degree in psychology? I mean, there’s something here.
[JONAH] I did. I… everything I’m doing now- is kind of the cross section of all of that, which is really special. And I feel very lucky. And also I wanted to say, you know, on the, the 1 percent thing that you said earlier, it’s so true. And I think I struggle very deeply with that thought of why? Why would I know so many unbelievably talented musicians and why would it be me? And the truth is I don’t know, but the only way I think you can kind of repay the universe for that sort of gift is by speaking from a place like “Broken” does or from a place like the newer music does and not necessarily being something contrived but something that’s aimed at actually helping people or being therapy to someone because I think, I strongly believe that music is the closest human connection to heaven and to any sort of light that’s beyond, you know, our own reality.
And so with “Broken”, like I said it was right around when the pandemic was really hitting full stride. And I was like, right in the middle of my degree also, and I was just seeing this, it broke my heart to see how much people were struggling. And at the time that I wrote it, I actually wasn’t really struggling myself. I was feeling okay, and I was feeling motivated and fulfilled by the music. And I was kind of writing from a place of, empathy, and sympathy for what was going on around me.
But then, as the year progressed and the years that followed, I started- it was a weird sort of thing where- I wrote that song not for me. And then as I kind of got into a really tough period…and I’ve had experience, plenty of experience with- especially being in music – with the pressures and things like that. And on being on the road, I’ve found myself in the sort of blender of the spiral. And, I went back and, you know, going back to listen to that, it’s almost like that song was ahead of its time for ME. Not even as a song. And I think it was just, I could actually read my lyrics and understand them from a personal perspective, and I realized what that brought to the world. And that’s all I want to do is to just keep doing that, and I think I’m not at all under any sort of pretense that I have something, anything better than anybody else, but I do feel as though I have an opportunity to share some vulnerable thoughts and the ability to kind of put that into words.
And so that’s what I’m going to try to do.
‘I think I’ve been looking for ways to give back more. And I think that’s kind of the sole driver in my… in making the music that I make and writing about the things that I write about, and even just connecting with the people who are listening and trying to practice deliberate gratitude.’
Jonas Kagen
Singer/Guitarist
Recognizing Potential and Deliberate Gratitude
[ERIC] In response to your question about why me, my only thought is why not you? You know, why not?
[JONAS] It’s, it’s true. And…that’s always where I land. And that’s kind of been the sort of Kagan mantra, you know, it’s like, ‘why wouldn’t it be you?’. Same thing with my dad. And he was the one who told me that early on. It’s like, no matter what you do. Don’t doubt it. Don’t question it. Do it with the full ability. But it’s still very hard, you know. It’s still like, uh, even if it is, why not me? Um, it’s just, I just want to make sure that I give it the sort of respect that the opportunity deserves and, uh, recognize the spot.
[ERIC] And that humility will take you a long way, honestly, because there’s a lot of phonies out there. And, uh, you know, I know where you come from. I know your grandparents really well. I know your aunt. I even knew your great grandparents and I know that everybody is super proud of you and they were, they are and were wonderful people. And that meant a lot to me personally growing up. Your grandfather still picks on me for my terrible math skills.
[JONAH] That doesn’t surprise me either, but that’s really sweet, Eric. Thank you.
[ERIC] Yeah, it’s very cool. Um, so you’re going to be starting another tour in the spring. I thought I saw some dates in Chicago and Seattle and all sorts of places. I’ve got my daughter and my grandkids {who} live in Seattle. Maybe I’ll get them to go out and check you out.
[JONAS] Oh, please do. I would love to say hi.
[ERIC] Yeah. So we appreciate this Jonah very much. I hope, uh, what else you want to say? Because, you know, this is small potatoes, you know, I’m going to put this on my YouTube channel and I’m hoping you’ll link it to all your platforms. So maybe your followers will give CooperRiis a look.
[JONAH] Well, I tell you what, Eric, I have nothing to say for me because I’m trying my best and I’m doing exactly what I was just telling you about. And I’m going to keep doing that, but I do want to say what you’re doing… I know I said it earlier, but it really is important and amazing. And I think I’ve been looking for ways to give back more. And I think that’s kind of the sole driver in my… in making the music that I make and writing about the things that I write about, and even just connecting with the people who are listening and trying to practice deliberate gratitude.
But, um, it’s really inspiring for me to meet people like you. And I know we’ve met before, but I mean, properly. Converse with somebody like you who is running something that I think is, more important than, anything that, uh…I think it’s all important as you know what I mean, is I think it’s, um, it’s just really special what you’re doing and I hope you keep doing it.
[ERIC] I appreciate that Jonah. I mean, I’m very lucky to be here. This is a pretty unique place with a really interesting story of how it came to be. Maybe one of these days when you’re in the area visiting your folks, we could join up and I could tell stories and embarrass your father a little bit and the metaphor for all this- I think back to the time I took your dad and your aunt out to the lake… have you heard this story?
[JONAH] No, I don’t think I have.
[ERIC] Yeah, we went up to lake Frank in Rockville, Maryland, and we snuck in under the fence and we swam out to a water tower in the middle of the lake, and we climbed up a water tower and had to jump off the water tower into the lake. And I remember your dad was just like, ‘what the heck are we doing’? But it’s kind of a metaphor in terms of, you know, sometimes you got to jump in and hope the water’s deep enough and you’ve totally done that, you know?
[JONAH] Yeah, man. It’s uh…it’s a scary thing, but it’s also gives you a reason to wake up in the morning and it gives you something to…I see what I do entirely as a service job. And that is what gets in… and in doing that, it also helps me and it shows me there’s a community also for what I’m experiencing and feeling. And the fact that there are people there to receive it is really special. Um, I would love to see your place and to go see what y’all are doing. And even if you ever wanted some live music while I was down there or anything like that, I would love to come jam for some people.
[ERIC] Well, I’ve got a 95-acre campus here that’s 30 minutes from your pop and I’ve got a beautiful pergola and a natural stage. And if you come, I’ll get all of my programs to come down here for a special thing and it will be amazing.
[JONAH] I would be more than happy to do that. Let’s make sure we set it up. I’ll talk to my dad and we’ll uh figure out.
[ERIC] Yeah, that’d be fun and we’ll get him to come play piano and I’ll play cowbell and do my Will Ferrell imitation…
[JONAH] Gotta give him some sheet music though. He won’t be able to you know, figure it out without some sheet music. But yeah, the Will Ferrell impression will be unbelievable.
[ERIC] Like, oh yeah, man, I’ve got so much natural, non-talent.
All right, man. It’s great to see you in person. This is so wild.
[JONAH] You too, Eric is crazy, man. All right.
Uh, next time we’ll be in person.
[ERIC] Okay. Take care, man. Bye
View The Video On Our YouTube Channel Here
