above average // collaborator

jon
torrence

Musician, songwriter and educator - making space for stories, creativity and the freedom to play.

MUSICIAN · SONGWRITER · EDUCATOR · MICHIGAN, USA

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The collaboration

made to create

Jon believes we were made to create. It shows up differently in everyone — through a song, a story, an improvised melody or the confidence to try something new. That belief runs through his work on stage and in the classroom. It’s also what connects him with Above Average: a shared appreciation for expression, thoughtful design and being yourself. For Jon, the connection started with the clothing. The minimalist aesthetic and message caught his attention. The heavyweight fabric, fit and quality made it something he kept reaching for.

creativitiy first

Space to explore and find your voice.

REAL CONNECTION

Through music, stories and shared experiences.

ROOM TO PLAY

Discovery starts with trying something new.

PERSONAL EXPRESSION

Your experiences. Your perspective. Your voice.

MEET JON

MUSICIAN. STORYTELLER. EDUCATOR.

Jon Torrence is a Michigan-based musician, songwriter and educator whose work is rooted in storytelling and human connection.

Influenced by Blues, Folk/Americana, Jazz and R&B, he makes music that draws on the richness of everyday experience — the stories we carry, the people we meet and the moments that stay with us.

He has performed in bands and as a solo artist since his teenage years, in an acoustic duo with his wife, and in a trio bringing together vocals, guitar and cello. He has also toured internationally with The New Standard, the jazz fusion group led by vibraphonist Drew Tucker.

Across those experiences, the connections matter most: with bandmates, with audiences and with people who see something of themselves in a song.

THE STORY

A CONNECTION BEFORE A CALLING.

Music was a companion long before it became Jon’s work.

As a child, he found it everywhere: in the Muppets and Fraggle Rock, video game soundtracks and film scores, Hendrix and the Beatles, and the R&B, Rock and Folk of the ’60s and ’70s. Every part of music had something to offer.

He was already writing stories when those ideas began finding their way into poetry. Picking up a guitar gave him another way to tell them.

In his final year of high school, he joined his district’s band programme and learned to read music. But a performance at a hometown coffee house helped him understand how much it meant to him.

Mixing original songs with covers, Jon experienced the feeling of sharing something personal — sometimes vulnerable — and finding a connection with the people listening.

It felt honest. It felt meaningful. Music was going to be a big part of his life.

"We as people were made to create, and that shows itself differently in everybody."

THE CLASSROOM

FUNDAMENTALS. FREEDOM. PLAY.

Jon’s love of teaching began during a university practicum at an elementary school. Given the freedom to shape his own lessons, he started writing songs and stories for his students.

That experience set the direction: build strong foundations while giving creativity room to grow.

Seventeen years into teaching, he works to make his classroom a place where students feel safe, known and free to express themselves. Improvisation and play are central to that approach.

Music gives students ownership over their ideas. Playing together teaches them how to listen, contribute and create something shared. Performing in the community gives them opportunities to build confidence and connect with others.

Some of those relationships last well beyond the classroom. Former students, now grown, still reach out — a reminder that what happens in a music lesson can stay with someone for years.

THE MUSIC

Jon continues to perform at songwriter showcases and live events, both ticketed and free, around his Michigan base, about an hour south of Detroit.

He releases music under two names: Jon Torrence for his songwriting work and Mr. Torrence for music made for young people.

Both make room for his love of narrative, imagination and connection.

His inspiration comes from people — their experiences, their contradictions and the many stories one person can hold. When a story reaches you at the right moment, it can change a perspective or become the beginning of a song.

more than the merch