Jonathan Cain Opens Up About Leaving Journey and Starting a New Solo Chapter

As Jonathan Cain prepares to close the final chapter of his storied career with Journey, the veteran keyboardist and songwriter is balancing farewell plans with a deeply personal creative resurgence. While Journey readies its expansive Final Frontier Tour, Cain is also unveiling new solo music rooted in faith, reflection, and purpose.

A Return to Faith Through Song

Cain’s latest release, Only a Prayer Away, arrives Feb. 27, one day before Journey’s tour opener in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The six-song EP marks a return to the Christian music he began releasing a decade ago, drawn from a much larger collection written during time away from touring.

“I had that year off (from Journey) and was doing ministry, and I was not going to do another one of these faith things, Christian worship pieces,” Cain explains. “And then God wouldn’t leave me alone. The songs kept coming — ‘What about this? What about this?’”

What began as a handful of tracks eventually grew into a full album’s worth of material. Cain opted to release the songs in stages, acknowledging modern listening habits. “I have a whole, full album, about 15 songs now. I decided to put six out, then I’ll have another six, then maybe an album. Nobody has time to listen to 15 songs, anyway.”

The inspiration for the EP was sparked during a disaster relief trip to Chimney Rock, North Carolina, following Hurricane Helene in 2024. Witnessing the community rebuild alongside CityServe Network and Paula White Ministries left a lasting impact.

“They were all working together, three feet of mud, nobody was whining or complaining,” Cain recalls. “It was all just, ‘Let’s get this done and support each other.’ … God was like, ‘What are you gonna do about it? Write a song; I’ll give you a title — ‘Amen to the Rescue.’ By the time we got home I had it finished.”

The Final Frontier Tour Takes Shape

Journey’s Final Frontier Tour promises to be more than a traditional greatest-hits run. Cain says fans can expect a two-hour “evening with” format that allows the band to dig deeper into its catalog.

“It’ll be an evening-with, a two-hour set,” Cain says. “We’ll hit all of our legacy songs and some of the later ones… you’ll get deep cuts from the beginnings of Journey, stuff from Infinity, just kind of take ’em down memory lane.”

Despite years of public tension—particularly between Cain and guitarist Neal Schon—Cain insists the music remains the priority. “When we come together as Journey it’s a force,” he says. “The music of Journey belongs to the people. We’re simply the caretakers.”

Cain also downplayed speculation surrounding frontman Arnel Pineda, including legal matters and cryptic social media posts. “He’s gonna be fine,” Cain says. “He’s a singing machine… He’ll be great.”

Currently, 60 dates are scheduled through July 2026, with additional shows expected into 2027. Still, Cain remains firm that this tour will be his last.

“I had a long time to contemplate what I wanted to do,” he says. “It just feels like a good time to get off the train… It’s a grind, man. I just feel like this tour is a beautiful closing chapter.”

Beyond Journey and What Comes Next

Cain says the final show will be a moment of gratitude rather than regret. “I’m just gonna say, ‘Wow, what a great ride,’” he reflects. “I’m honored to be part of something with this legacy and prestige.”

There are no plans for new Journey music during the tour. While Schon has suggested the band could continue beyond Cain’s departure, Cain is resolute. “Wait ’til that time and see,” he says. “I just know that’s it for me.”

Asked about the possibility of a guest appearance from former frontman Steve Perry, Cain revealed discussions have already begun. “Neal already asked,” he says. “He didn’t say no — leave it at that.”

Looking ahead, Cain plans to focus on faith-based projects, including releasing more worship music, licensing songs to churches, developing a church-centered concert experience, and pursuing long-held ambitions in film scoring. He is also producing The Gospel of Rock ’n’ Roll, a talk show exploring the spiritual roots of musicians across genres.

“We’re trying to show that all great performers and performances begin in the church,” Cain says. “They all say the same thing: ‘That’s where I got my chops.’”