Jackson Grimm is an American folk singer that’s back in the game and releasing new tracks. Jackson adds his North Carolina roots to all of his songs, and it’s evident throughout his musical artistry that those roots have a huge impact on the direction of his music. “The Bull Moose Party” was recognized as “the perfect American album” and that only solidifies the country strength supported in his music. Our eyes are set on Jackson Grimm and all he has to offer in his new music.
Jackson Grimm really does not rest a beat in his new single “Tulsa”. What a fast-paced single! Jackson’s strong folk roots are really distinguishable throughout the underlying melody of the song. Jackson doesn’t let loose on his bearings of folk, and us at BuzzMusic aren’t complaining! We love ourselves a good old-school folk track, and Jackson Grimm gives us exactly that.
Closing my eyes and listening to “Tulsa” really gets my heart pumping! And the authenticity put into the lyricism on Jackson’s part contributes to the blood-pumping charismatic vibe coming off from the song. We really found ourselves playing this song multiple times upon listening—it has that catchy and intriguing element to it that makes you want to listen again and again. I can definitely see it becoming a huge hit within the folk genre, because once a catchy song gets out there, we all know its bound to blow up!
Listen to "Tulsa" here and get to know more about Jackson Grimm below!
Hey Jackson! Your latest single “Tulsa” really got our blood flowing! Such a fast moving melody! Tell our readers more about the vision you had for the song while curating it
I had just entered Oklahoma on I-44 and I was really feeling the extent of the Great Plains.. It was my first solo cross country drive. My mandolin was riding shotgun, and on the super long stretches of straight highway I would grab it and strum a few chords. Tulsa was the first song I wrote on mandolin and I was using the Dm chord shape because it's a super easy one to play... I thought of where I was and was comparing it to this romanticized image of the Plains that I have in my head. I wrote the first line about a dust storm right before I started seeing interstate signs for Tulsa. The rest was written in about 30 mins while I was driving!
What was the one inspiring factor that helped you envision “Tulsa” at first?
I reckon I partially answered that in the first song, but definitely I was feeling homesick for Appalachia. I missed trees and I missed mountains. Also there were SO many billboards for casinos and liquor stores and it really caught me off guard.
Does living in North Carolina contribute a lot to the message you want to instil within your music?
100%. I started playing music in North Carolina and I certainly think my playing and songwriting reflects that. I find myself coming back to classic Appalachian themes of hardship: murder, drinking, heartbreak, etc.. But I try and combat that with a very contemporary outlook on society and social justice issues.
Are you planning on releasing more music anytime soon?
Nothing concrete, I'm mostly working on touring on my current album and seeing how far I can go with it! I have a batch of instrumental Old-time/bluegrass tunes that I have written over the past 3 years that I would love to release, but we'll see.
As an artist, what’s one message you would give to other artists just starting out?
One of my musical mentors, Josh Goforth, who produced my debut album, told me to not turn down any gig. Thats what I've been doing in 2019 so far and I have already played 55 gigs as of May 12. And it's working! I'm starting to get more name recognition and am really focusing on building my network. So I would say don't get discouraged that things don't happen right away. It takes time!
Connect with Jackson Grimm on social media
www.instagram.com/jacksongrimmmusic
www.facebook.com/jacksongrimmmusic