Jonathan Cain – Don’t Stop Believin’
Zondervan
https://www.zondervan.com/don-t-stop-believin

Rating: B+

Anyone who calls themselves a fan of the band Journey is well aware of the feud that happened between Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain when Cain went to the White House! It was a big deal.  Lots of Tweets were sent back and forth. For many it was the first time they realized Journey was not just a bunch of San Francisco hippies…at least not Jonathan Cain! 

Jonathan Cain’s place in Journey came when he replaced keyboard icon Gregg Rolie. Cain first appeared as a Journey member on the classic 1981 album Escape. Cain co-wrote many amazing songs on that sucker including the most downloaded song of all time….“Don’t Stop Believin’.” 

In his new book, titled appropriately “Don’t Stop Believin’” Cain shares his life story…all of it…the good, the bad and the ugly. 

He discusses his family dynamics, especially the amazingly supportive role his father had in his life. He jumps into the childhood tragedy of his grade school burning down and killing nearly 100 of his classmates when he was 8-years of age. He goes through his marriages and, of course, he talks about his career in music. He also opens up about his faith in God. 

Jonathan does not throw anyone under the bus, however. In fact, the Journey faithful will know exactly where he is omitting some famous stories and fights…yet, he always gets his point across. 

He chronicles Steve Perry’s exit and he is open about when both Journey, and he took left turns and made mistakes. He is also honest about how it all turned around. 

He tells the tale of coming back, both professionally and personally. He opens up about lead singers, continuing on without Perry and how he met his current wife, evangelist Paula White, on an airplane…and how that chance meeting changed everything for him.   

Jonathan looks back over his slow moving solo career, his time with the The Babys and his invitation to join Journey in detail. He reveals what he considers to be the Hand of God guiding him through dark times, divorce and financial collapse. His faith is strong and his will resilient…but it was not always so easy for him. 

While God is discussed heavily at times, this is not simply a God Squad book. Cain never pushes his beliefs, damns one for not believing as he does, nor does he get preachy. He is simply honest about his own transformation.

He also portrays parts of his past where he was less than moral, or happy, or content or even nice. In being honest about his own shortcomings Cain is able to come across as genuine.  

Jonathan never did stop believing… a message his father gave to him in a conversation when Cain was thinking about chucking in his music career in the 1970s. Thank God he listened to his dad…or to the message through his dad…depending on one’s beliefs. For by continuing to believe he created, or helped to create, many songs that are beloved by millions of people. 

Look…this is not a ‘tell all’ tabloid event. If you’re looking for dirt you will be disappointed. It is, however, a book from one man’s perspective about his life and how he has survived. It is about how he never stopped believing until his miracle happened.  Jonathan Cain does not come across like a religious man, oddly enough. Yet, his belief and reliance on God comes through loud and clear.  

If you want to know the history of Journey from 1981 to the present day, from a band members point of view…and, at the same time, learn about who that person is…then this book is for you.

I, for one, could not put it down! 

By Jeb “Stone in Love” Wright