Jonny Diaz grew up in Lakeland Florida. He was the youngest of four athletic brothers. In 2002 he started at Florida State University on a baseball scholarship. All three of his brothers had also gone to college on for baseball (two going on to play professionally.) But Johnny was the first to give up his sports dream for a different dream. Music. He started playing early on in college and released his first independent album Shades of White in 2003. That was followed by Everyday God in 2005.

After graduation he went to Nashville where he recorded another indie album They Need Love in 2007. That album sold over 12,000 copies and interest of several labels.

During that time Jonny Diaz opened in concert for a number of prominent Christian artists including Steven Curtis Chapman, Mercy Me, Shane and Shane, Bebo Norman, and KJ52. He also released an indie Christmas album called Come Let Us Adore.

Jonny Diaz had been working on another indie album, but before it was released he signed with INO records. More Beautiful You (2009) was his first album on a major record label.