Jake Worthington is an artist who is garnering a lot of attention in Country music for all the right reasons.
A former contestant on ‘The Voice’ in the US, Worthington has been steadily building a fanbase with his brand of traditional Country music. Fans have been waiting for a full record from Worthington for a while and the wait is over this Friday when he releases his debut album via Big Loud.
I spoke to Jake to find out about the record, talk about his journey to releasing it, and discuss his time on ‘The Voice’…
Your self-titled debut album is coming this week. What’s the journey to releasing that been like?
It’s been six years since my last release in 2017 and really, truly, I’ve just been focused on the songs and just really trying to keep writing to eventually be in an opportunity where I could see myself getting a record made and here we are. Joey Moi produced the record. We had Paul Franklin play steel, Larry Franklin played fiddle, Gordon Moat played keys, Brent Mason played guitar, Brian Sutton played acoustic, Jerry Row played drums and Jimmy Lee Slow played bass. It was a pretty dang cool experience getting to have them guys put life into the songs.
In your bio there’s a quote about you believing there needs to be room for Country in Country music, which is an interesting take given how the Country charts look these days with a lot more pop there. You have a deep love and appreciation of traditional Country thanks to your grandfather. Tell me about that…
Early on, I knew who he would consider the greats or so to speak, the best in Country music. Obviously, that’s all really down to your own opinion and what you like, and what you decide to choose. It’s all subjective. My grandpa was the type of guy, when I was a kid I was learning guitar and any kind of new song I’d learn or write, all the way up until the day that he passed he was very much, ‘you’re a good boy, but you ain’t know Ray Price’. That was always a good reminder that the bar is very high. There’s only one of those (artists) to ever exist and there ain’t nothing wrong with that, it’s the way it ought to be. As far as the traditional sound and country being in country music, that means exactly that. I think that the songs are what ultimately allows your record to have the nuances that it does.
Ahead of the album release you dropped the tracks ‘State You Left Me In’ and ‘Next New Thing’, which are very different from one another. Was it important for you to be able to show all sides of what you can do on this record?
Hell, man, I’ll be honest. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing (laughs) you know. The musicians are dang sure the brilliant ones. I do think that Country music is very versatile and diverse within its own walls. I think that there’s so many different accents – that is country music. This is just where I’m coming from with it!
I agree with you that musicians on the record are incredible but for me, it’s your voice. Your voice is the focal point of the whole thig and you have such a rich tone. It really does remind me of those greats that you were mentioning before. When did you first discover that you had that voice and how have you been able to find your own voice?
Man! I think every day is a battle with that kind of stuff. By the time I was 17/18 years I decided, ‘hey shit, I might want to do this for the rest of my life’. By the time I was 23 I feel like that’s when things started making a whole lot more sense to me.
You competed on ‘The Voice’ and that’s what really captured the attention of Country music fans. What was that experience like for you?
‘The Voice’ was a great experience. (It was) a life changing experience, there is no other way to put it as far as I’m concerned. If I didn’t get to do that, I wouldn’t have dove off into musicality the way that I have done over the years and continue to still try. It’s one of them things!
People are really embracing what you’re doing and I see so many comments from fans saying you’re the ‘real deal’. How does that feel?
You know what? I’m just thankful people want to hear my kind of country music.
You haven’t made it over to the UK yet have you?
A buddy of mine’s stationed at an Air Force Base out there but I have not yet got to go to the UK. But I do know that over there across the pond y’all are some big Country music fans out there. I imagine one day soon we’ll be getting over yonder and having a good time.
We really like the storytellers here in the UK. I noticed that you co-wrote every track on your record. What’s the songwriting process like for you?
Typically, in a normal month, you go work the weekends and in between that is when you pick and choose your days to come to town or go somewhere to go write. You got to do it. There was a point in time, I’d say four or five years ago, we’d play our shows and then on Sunday I’d drop everybody off in Central Texas, and then I’d turn around and go to Oklahoma or I’d go to Nashville, just anywhere that I was going to be welcomed, to write a song there. That’s when you go and do those kinds of things. Sometimes you walk into a room with a title, sometimes half an idea, sometimes you just ain’t got nothing but bad news to share and sometimes that’s where the song comes from, you know? There ain’t really a way to put a needle on it. My favourite songwriting process is to write into the song and that usually is something that is sparked by just conversation.
I imagine for you that touring is the part you love the most. You have a pretty full diary for the rest of the year. How do you prepare for that?
Well, you know man, that’s all we had. That’s the name of what we do, we record records, write songs, and get out there and tour. That’s what I know. Really and truly this will really be a special year in the sense that all the things that are going on right now are all brand new beginnings for a guy (like me). There’ll never be another first like this. I’m just trying to soak it all in and we love getting out there to play the live show. I think the live show is just as important as the other parts. You gotta be able to do it and we damn sure aim to be able to do it.
What are you most excited about in terms of getting this record into the hands of your fans?
I think it’s a proper introduction or reintroduction. There’s a whole lot of people that have been waiting on me and this but also I think that there’s there’s an abundance of people who we have yet to be introduced to you. I think that everything happens when it ought to. I’m in no rush, never have been, and I’m still learning.
You’re coming out the gates swinging with this album because it’s probably the best record I’ve heard so far this year…
Right on, man! We’ll take it. I surely appreciate it. I’m proud of it and I’m very thankful.
Jake Worthington releases his self-titled debut album via Big Loud on Friday 7th April 2023. Watch the video for ‘State You Left Me In’ below:
