

Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnmark Hendrix.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Johnmark. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m 22 years old from Toccoa, Georgia. I’ve been playing and singing for a decade. I grew up very poor in a very rural and out of touch area musically. It wasn’t until I discovered the music culture of Atlanta when my sound and following began to blossom. My first show in Atlanta was in 2017 when I lived in Decatur with a friend. I met Joe Warren and began shopping for a band to sing for. He suggested a local band named Aoshi (now Cascadent) from the Marietta area after I moved back 2 hours away in Toccoa. I agreed to try out and thus began a cycle of working retail, spending time on the road, and diligently crafting a sound. If I wasn’t in Atlanta or on my way there; I was at my retail job or in the studio in Toccoa, GA recording my first EP with Corey Childs.
After a handful of shows in Atlanta and out of state, Cascadent released a single with good reviews and a few thousand Spotify plays. Shortly after the release, I had to leave the band due to financial complications and personal situations at home. I thought my music career was over. I finished my solo EP and released GENESIS in January of 2019. A few months later, my music hopes were revitalized in the form of a new band. Mobtones has headlined each show we have played in Atlanta (our musical home) despite not having any music or merch available. I’m currently working on a Mobtones record and a solo album named “Anti-Hero”, coming out in 2020.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. I’ve been acquainted with struggle for most of my life. In my childhood and even now, my family struggle financially due to my parents both being disabled. But they bought me my first guitar. I wouldn’t make it at all without the support of my mother, who is deaf. Any of my musical endeavors have started with a fire that my parents backed wholeheartedly. I had to work full time while with Cascadent, which between that and studio work, left little room for social gatherings or much free time. I felt physically and mentally exhausted for a long time, I was willing to suffer like that because of how much I believed in what I was doing and what my bandmates’ visions were. I had to quit after trying to find new work after leaving the previous job to support myself and help my family. I also missed the time I had with people right here in Toccoa that I sacrificed to be in an Atlanta band. Now with Mobtones, we get to come back periodically and show love to the city that shows us the most love.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I am a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. I started playing shows in Atlanta in summer of 2017. I am the frontman and play bass for a 3-piece alt-rock outfit called Mobtones. Some folks around Atlanta may remember me from my tenure as frontman in my previous band Cascadent. I’m particularly noted for my vocal work, citing Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson as vocal inspirations. I also work in a studio collective (Clocktower Beats) with my friend, Corey Childs. We’ve co-produced my solo EP, my upcoming album, and other collaborations together for over six years. My solo work is reminiscent of Charlie Puth, Childish Gambino, and James Blake. Mobtones is for fans of Rage Against The Machine, The Mars Volta, and Incubus.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
In 2015, I sang for my high school graduating class. The song that was performed was “Running” by James Bay. I had such a rough year in my senior season after battling a still unknown illness. I spent days upon days in the hospital and wasn’t permitted to return to school until the next semester. And after not thinking I was going to make it to graduation, there I was singing to approximately 1200 people at my school stadium. I remember strumming the last chord and a wave of silence fell for just a split second, followed by a rampant standing ovation. It solidified my intentions with my life and career and it is the fondest memory I have in my childhood.
Contact Info:
- Email: johnmarkhendrix41@gmail.com
- Instagram: @johnmarkmusicga
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnmarkmusicga
- Twitter: @johnmarkmusicga
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/mobtonesGA/
Image Credit:
Shaun Ramkumar
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.