Hochstein alum Jon Dretto was back in Rochester a few weeks ago to visit family and stopped by to see his voice teacher, Sandra Boysen Sluberski. Jon took voice lessons with Sandra as a teenager growing up in Webster. She says, “He worked primarily on blues songs, and always brought his guitar to lessons so we could work on his vocal technique as he played.”
Today he is a singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Florida, and has become a TikTok sensation recognized globally from viral videos that showcase his unique style of playing with more than 1.5 billion views and 7 million followers across his social media channels. In addition to performing rock and blues, he has worked with some of the most celebrated global brands in music, fashion, and tech, including Samsung, Fender, Givenchy, and Kiesel Guitars.
In May, he released his debut single, “Broken Promise,” and a music video, which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/6pguzhjpJVo.
Jon says, “This video is about my struggle with mental health. I'm releasing it for #mentalhealth awareness month and to raise money for Save the Children.”
Sandra says, “The lyrics are deeply personal because they express the struggles he went through in his late teens and early 20s with depression. People and places here in his hometown helped him to get through this difficult time. I’m really grateful that Hochstein was one of those places to him.”
Watch his video here: