Americana, with folk rock mix

6 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Power-folk, ROCK: Folk Rock



Details:
Her name is Jill Jack. Yes, it's her real name. This singer/songwriter from Michigan is as real as anyone can be. With a voice that can go from plaintive country croon to husky rock'n'roll growl, emotionally honest songs and her own brand of friendly sexiness, Jill takes the best of American music and stirs it into a very special melting pot.

Her debut album, Watch Over Me, was released in April of 1997. Since '97, she's been a staple in the 'win' column of the Detroit Music Awards, survivor of a relentless performing schedule in and out of Michigan, amassed a body of press clippings most 'major label' acts would envy, and sold over 10,000 cds, all the while building a madly loyal audience - and remaining a totally involved parent. "The [music] business is luck and work and talent, and I don't believe I got this far on luck. I know how hard I've worked, how hard I work every show. Sometimes I wake up the day after and wonder where the energy is going to come from, to get up and make coffee and clean the house - and yet there's such a good feeling that comes from giving it all up on stage to the audience, it somehow inspires me to do it all over again."

It is Jill's connection to the everyday that suffuses her writing and keeps the lifeline to her audience strong and vital. "The fans I draw are the average American," Jill observes. "They're all ages, from all walks of life and backgrounds." She tells, with equal parts wry affection and humorous awe, of going into a rock club for a benefit and doing an acoustic story-ballad ("Rosie") - and then having a teary cross-dressing punk rocker come up to her and tell her how much he loved that song. So, okay; maybe they're not all average Americans...She is an artist in the tradition of songwriters such as Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Woody Guthrie - not so much in style as in sensibility, in the ability to tap into the archetypical American subconscious and craft songs that speak to us all. "I'm still learning who I am, as a writer and performer. Each album is a learning experience. It's all about constant learning, constant confidence-building." Like the above-mentioned artists, Jill Jack's artistry is very grounded in live performance. Her ability to connect to the audience, and her willingness and enthusiasm to meet just about every person in each audience is legendary. "I love being on the road. It's such an amazing experience! You learn so much about other people - the ones you're on tour with, the ones you meet - and yourself. I would love to hit the entire country and just play for people."

Jill Jack. She's a real person, with a real name and a very, very, very real talent. Come see for yourself.