John Preston is a Sony/Concore Entertainment recording artist, full-time Firefighter and Marine Corps Combat Veteran. Since John emerged on the music scene in 2014, he has been a topic in the media using his platform for many charitable endeavors. John has taken his place as a prominent figure in the veteran and first responder communities as an advocate against suicide while opening the conversation about mental health. John has been featured in outlets such as People.com, CNN, Fox, NBC, ABC and many more.

His music, which is as notable as his presence in the press, has received many accolades.

 

2014: Your War is Over EP: nominated for LA Music Awards Best Rock Vocals

 

2015: Day to Night EP: iTunes top 150 Alternative

 

2017: Battlecry: Songs of America’s Heroes (Executive Producer and Artist): #21 on iTunes rock chart, Top 150 iTunes all genre

Before I am Gone: DRT Top 20 Rock, Adult Contemporary, Independent and Top 150 overall, iTunes Top 150 Rock

 

2019: Superman Falls: DRT Top 20 Rock, Adult Contemporary, Independent and Top 150 overall, iTunes Top 150 Rock

 

2020: Wasteland: DRT Top 20 Rock, Adult Contemporary, Independent and Top 150 overall, iTunes Top 150 Rock

John is also the founder of 22 and You, a movement to save the lives of first responders and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress (PTS). The movement began when John embarked on a 630-mile hike from Palo Alto to San Diego, which was inspired by the loss of John’s older brother Michael. After Michael’s passing in January of 2016, John put two singles about combatting suicide into the DRT Top 20 and iTunes Top 200, charting with some of the most popular Rock and Pop artists in the world. The success of his music was gaining attention to the matter, but John never found a way to fully express the experience of losing his brother with words alone. He thought if he put himself through horrific physical pain, he may be able to finally express to the world the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. 22 miles a day, 28 days, with a 22-kilogram rucksack.

The endeavor caught the attention of many, including his fellow first responders and veterans who showed up in force to walk alongside John. Encouraged by John’s perseverance, these fellow hikers shared their own personal battles and stories of loss as they traversed the California coast together. John brought along a film crew also composed of veterans and first responders to document the experience, and the film is currently heading into post-production. The finished product will be a docuseries of the hike entitled #ShareTheWeight. The story will depict the struggles of mental health and feature John’s personal story of triumph following loss as well as the stories of his fellow hikers. Altogether, these honest and heartrending depictions capture the movement that John founded based on his own tragedy to help others to heal and move forward despite overwhelming mental and emotional obstacles.

John’s next project is an album that has been written and recorded which will release shortly as the soundtrack for the documentary.