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7.51pm
2 December 2024
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Written as a hypothetical conversation between one of most famous musicians in the world and his assassin, the John Lennon -inspired track Dear John by rising singer-songwriter Ginger Winn grapples with the consequences of fame, making sense of a tragedy, and what it means to forgive.
Set to be released on the anniversary of Lennon’s death, co-writer and co-founder of Winn’s label Keep Good Company Records Matt Baoine wrote the heartfelt song after being given a book on writing by his wife Tina, Baoine’s partner and founder of the label’s creative consultancy Keep Good Company. Baoine found himself drawn to an exercise in the book to write a poem to someone living or dead and was directly inspired by a combination of Paul Goresh’s photos of John Lennon ‘s interaction with Mark David Chapman, Chapman’s manifesto, the moment in the Imagine documentary where John invites stalkers on his property into his house for tea, and the famous photo of Pope John Paul II forgiving his would-be assassin. Choosing Lennon, Baoine was inspired by the famous photo of Lennon signing an autograph for Mark David Chapman, who would shoot and kill him later that day. “Those powerful images converged to inspire the song’s lyrics: Imagining a conversation we could have with John, and in turn, one that he could have had with his assassin—had he survived,” Baione says.
Lennon has been an inspiration to both Winn and Baoine. Winn, though she is only 25, remembers buying a magazine that told Lennon’s life story at a young age that taught her about being an artist, following the path you feel is right, and making sure that path leads you to a destination that is best for you. Winn admired that Lennon was a true creative who did whatever he wanted to do, no matter the consequences–and that he was an artist who wanted what was best for the world. The pair considered how Lennon was perceived by the world and admired the way he remained hopeful and positive in perceiving the world. “Lennon was a man full of contradictions but always seemed to have the best intentions in his art. I wondered if he might forgive the man who shot him if he had the chance–” a question that serves as the thread throughout the song.
“The song is as beautiful as it is tragic. John has always been an inspiration; we share a birthday and I’ve always admired his audacity, creativity, search for interconnectivity in society, and his attempts at leading with love, especially near his life’s end. He was a dreamer; I believe myself to be one, too, and as Radiohead said, ‘Dreamers never learn. John was complex and conflicted; he was imperfect, he was brave-yet-fragile, he was a contradiction. He was a creative genius, but he was at all times human and felt it—as he explained perfectly in the song ‘Isolation ,’ and he could always tie in heavy subjects into ambient, relatable songs.” Winn added that they wanted “Dear John” to sound like a letter to a lover, and that’s what inspired the melancholy, the minor tonality of the music.
“Dear John” was recorded at the studio of, and engineered by, three-time Grammy Award winner Justin Guip (Levon Helm, Larry Campbell and Theresa Williams). He also served as engineer and provided additional production. The track, which was finished on tape by mastering engineer Fred Kevorkian (The White Stripes, Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5), was produced by Winn and Grammy-nominated Jack Petruzzelli (Joan Osborne, Fab Faux, Toombs Dixon), who also plays electric guitar on the song. Additional artists on the track include bassist Jeff Hill (Rufus Wainwright, Shooter Jennings, Steve Earle), Will Bryant on keys (Donald Fagan, Restless Age), and Dave Burnett on drums.
Winn will also release a lyric video and two live versions of the song: one from a solo acoustic show at Rockwood Music Hall and the other from the encore performance at her album release concert at Woodstock Way.
You can catch her performing the song live at upcoming NYC shows:
Bowery Electric on December 29
Arlene’s Grocery on January 29
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