The 4040 is a writers round hosted by Franklin Christian Church in Franklin, TN, established in 2022. This monthly series is built on original music presented by up-and-coming songwriters, along with established hit songwriters. The mission of the 4040 is to highlight Contemporary Christian Music in the greater Nashville area while providing opportunities for people to experience community and belonging through the offering of live music.
Born and raised in a small town in Alabama, Jonathan moved to Nashville in 2019 as a writer and producer. At 14 years old, he began writing and studying great songs and the detailed similarities in what made them stand out. From mentorships and conversations with other writers, Jonathan quickly found his skill at structuring lyrics and shaping melody.
As both a topliner and producer, Jonathan is as versatile in his skill set as he is in the genres he writes garnering him cuts from Worship and CCM to Country, EDM, and Pop. He is quickly becoming a sought after collaborator in the Nashville community with both established and up and coming artists and writers.
Blake Ellis is a bassist, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and utility musician based in Franklin, TN, originally from Wichita, KS. At 10 years old he fell in love with music and taught himself to play the guitar. In middle school Ellis started honing his guitar and bass craft by serving on church worship teams and in school bands, then began writing his own songs in high school.
He later attended Friends University in Wichita, KS and was a member of the Singing Quakers choir where he learned more about music theory and found his love for singing. In college Ellis started working at Central Community Church, where he served for 6 years as the Student Worship Coordinator and then later became the Media Arts Creator & Video Director. It was during this time he found a deep passion for photography and videography, and in 2018 he started shooting wedding films, music videos, and taking corporate photos as a freelancer.
After the 2020 pandemic he transitioned to working at the ABC affiliate news station KAKE TV and became the Multimedia Producer in Creative Services. During this time of career transition Blake released his first album called “REALITY” in October 2021. With the milestone accomplishment of creating and releasing his first album he began to realize he wanted to chase down the dream he had always dreamt of. In March 2022 he moved to Nashville. Since his move he’s been active as a freelance musician and working as the backline tech on tour for the Contemporary Christian recording artist Zach Williams, with whom he’s travelled since August 2022. His desire to write faith-based music was solidified during his time on the road. Blake is scheduled to go on Zach’s “A Hundred Highways” 2023 spring tour and is planning to release new original music this year.
Evelyn Cormier grew up in the mountains and valleys of New Hampshire. She began singing in church and as a young teenager spent her summers playing with her family band at bars, restaurants, social clubs and festivals. By age seventeen, she was leading worship at her church, and at eighteen she released her first EP of original music. By age 19, Evelyn competed on American Idol and made top 14 and was hailed by Katy Perry as “her most favorite voice ever”. Over the past several years, Evelyn has shared the stage with Chris Isaak, 10,000 Maniacs, Mark McGrath, Matt Sorum and most recently, Ben Fuller. She is preparing to release her first full length Christian Album and will be debuting it at Soulfest 2023.
Her voice has been described as rich and wild, uniquely her own, a sweet blend of magic and musical madness. Billboard Magazine said of Evelyn’s singing, “If you close your eyes, drink chamomile, it’s like being transported back to some lost Lilith Fair performance, circa 1998”.
Jaren LaGore is an 18 year old singer songwriter from the small town of Flushing, Michigan. She grew up with music in her life since she was young and with God at the center of it all. At the age of 5 Jaren started piano, and by the age of 6 added guitar to her musical vocabulary as well. Later in life she began learning the viola, not choosing the violin because her younger sister was already the violin prodigy of the family . Jaren wrote her very first song at the age of 7, and since then has written over 250 songs.
Jaren first came to TN pursuing a solo career in secular pop music, little did she know that God had much more in store for her, a path that involved 3 other crazy talented girls that loved the Lord. Jaren knows that this band is completely from God, she was not looking or even expecting to be leading a Christian band, especially a Christian girl band, yet it fell into her lap at the perfect time with the perfect people. She can’t wait to keep growing in her faith and in her relationship with her bandmates. Jaren’s goal has always been to bring wandering hearts to the Lord through music, and now this band has given her even more of an opportunity to spread the light of Jesus.
