Biography
-
Born
18 January 1971 (age 54)
-
Born In
Bakersfield, Kern County, California, United States
There are two individuals known by the name Jonathan Davis: one is the lead vocalist of the American band Korn, and the other is an award-winning voice actor and audiobook narrator.
Jonathan Houseman Davis (born January 18, 1971) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist for the nu metal band Korn. He was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, and lived there with his father and stepmother.
In addition to his role as vocalist, Davis has also contributed to the band by playing instruments such as the bagpipes and guitar. He was the final member to join the group, having been approached by James Shaffer and Brian Welch after they saw him perform with his previous band, Sexart. Initially declining the invitation to join their band, Creep, Davis later accepted, which led to the formation of Korn.
Korn released their self-titled debut album in 1994, which peaked at number 72 on the Billboard chart. The band has since released twelve studio albums, with the first seven achieving Platinum certification. Davis is the older half-brother of Mark Chavez, former vocalist of the bands Adema and Midnight Panic.
Davis experienced health issues as a child, including severe asthma, which led to multiple hospitalizations. According to a 2004 interview, his condition has improved significantly over time.
His interest in music began in childhood, inspired in part by the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" and artists such as Duran Duran and other New Romantic bands. Davis received his first drum kit as a child, which contributed to his long-term involvement in music.
Personal experiences have influenced Davis's lyrical contributions to Korn. One example is the song "Daddy" from the band's debut album. While the lyrics have prompted public speculation regarding their subject, Davis has stated in interviews that the song refers to a traumatic experience involving a family acquaintance.
Davis has been married twice. He married Renee Perez in 1998, with whom he had a son named Nathan Houseman Davis; they divorced in 2001. In 2004, he married Deven Davis in Hawaii. The couple had two children, Pirate Houseman Davis and Zeppelin Houseman Davis. Deven Davis passed away in 2018.
Davis has stated that he has been sober from alcohol and drugs since August 22, 1998. His former bandmate Brian Welch publicly acknowledged his sobriety in the band's video release "Deuce."
Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. Feel free to contribute!
All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
