Jackie Lee credits his father for his love for country music. He describes his father of a stone-cold country fan and a ‘walking country music encyclopedia.’ And Jackie says that his father was not only his introduction but also his teacher. So when Jackie Lee got word that he would be playing the Opry, the first call he made was to his father, not only to tell his father about him getting to play at a venue that Jackie holds dear to his heart, but also to offer his father a once in a life time opportunity.
Jackie Lee is a country artist signed to Broken Bow Records, which includes a number of “heavy hitters” as Jackie describes. Artists like Jason Aldean and Dustin Lynch. When Broken Bow founder Benny Brown brought Jackie Lee on board, Benny told Jackie that he was on the target and that they would not be working with him if he was not on the target, but that they needed to get him to the bullseye. And that made Jackie feel like he was worth Broken Bow’s while. Since his introduction to the music world, his name has become known and he was named to numerous lists of Artists to Watch in 2015, including our own. Jackie says that being named to these lists is “mind blowing and humbling.” He goes on to say, “I just got off the radio tour and just going out there, with your head down, working real hard, and you don’t really see what’s going on around you. And then you get something like that. It’s humbling.” But who are Jackie’s Artists to Watch in 2015? Maddie & Tae, Chris Lane, and Chase Bryant. All artists who Jackie knows, artist he knows what they are doing, and is excited to see the final product from.
And while 2015 is still young, 2014 was quite the year for Jackie Lee.
In September, Jackie released his debut single, ‘She Does,’ which is a song that Jackie says he feels so lucky to have. “It was one of those songs that was on hold by another artist. And I just knew there was no way I was going to get that song. But the planets aligned and it just fell in my lap and I am very thankful for it. I really believe tin that song and I believe in the guys who wrote the song. The day I got the song, I was super ecstatic.” And you may be asking who that other artist was who had ‘She Does’ on hold? Well, it was Kenny Chesney. Yes, the acclaimed ‘King of the Road,’ who had a hold on the song leading up to his ‘The Big Revival’ album. So we could have been hearing ‘She Does’ in NFL stadiums across the nation in 2015 but luckily for Jackie, we won’t.
Not only did Jackie release his debut single in 2014 but he also was given the opportunity to play at the Grand Ole Opry! Jackie can remember his first time going to Nashville, when he was not signed to a record label or anything, and actually paying to take a tour. He recalls the tour being just him, his father and two women from West Virginia. Jackie tell us, “We, in my family, hold the Opry so high our our hearts and minds.” So when Jackie’s manager sent him some paperwork to look over with the upcoming schedule, and the only thing written on the paper was ‘Opry,’ Jackie ‘freaked out,’ and called his dad immediately. When his dad answered the phone, Jackie told him, “Hey, you need to learn these three songs,” to which his father asked why. Jackie’s response? “Because you’re going to play the Opry with me.” The man who introduced Jackie to country music and taught him everything about country music was going to play country music’s most iconic stage with his son. On September 30th, Jackie made his debut at the Opry with his father by his side. His performance of his single ‘She Does,’ along with ‘First Girl’ and ‘Driveway’ impressed the Opry crowd; so much so, that Jackie drew a standing ovation, which is a rare occurrence for an Opry first-timer. With his father by his side, playing this iconic venue, and receiving a standing ovation, Jackie could only describe it as a special moment.
But that wasn’t the only special moment for Jackie Lee in 2014. On December 28th, Jackie was given the opportunity to sing the National Anthem prior to the game between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers at historic Lambeau Field. But that’s not the best part of this experience. One of Jackie’s best friends, and high school teammates, is Pro Bowl wide receiver Randall Cobb. As he took his spot on the Lambeau Field turf and was singing the National Anthem, Jackie remembers looking up at the jumbotron about halfway through the song, and seeing his best friend in his uniform. He says, “That day, it was 19 degrees. It was really cold. But my adrenaline was pumping so much. The cold was the last thing I remember. It was like an Opry day a little bit. I will always be able to look back on the day and smile because one of my best friends was out there on the field playing, and I was singing the National Anthem. One of those days that doesn’t come around very often. I’m thankful that I was able to be there for it.”
Jackie finished his 2014 on a radio tour, which included a stop in Connecticut with Country 92.5 at the Cadillac Ranch with Austin Webb and fellow Broken Bow Records artist Dustin Lynch. “I have completed enjoyed myself on this radio tour. It’s been the time of my life. Getting to travel around the whole country and play music.” And to share a stage with his label-mate, he can only describe as a positive experience. His admiration of Dustin Lynch is apparent.
“I have seen several country performances over the last 2 to 3 years. But I have never seen someone engage a crowd like Dustin does. He could be up there singing ‘Yankee Doodle’ and just the way that he gets the crowd involved is insane. I have seen him acoustically, I’ve seen him full band, I’ve also seen him work a room personally, just him. It goes back to his work ethic too. He works really, really hard. His personality on stage is very inviting. It’s not standoff-ish. It’s not ‘I’m just going to go up here and do 11 songs and you pay me my money.’ You almost forget where you’re at a little bit. It’s really enjoyable. You feel like you get your money’s worth when you go to a Dustin Lynch show.”
On the heels of a successful 2014, and ‘She Does’ being the most added song to country radio upon it’s release, Jackie is currently working on his debut album which he says is going great and will be something that will show his variety and versatility. He goes on further to say, “It’s my flavor of country, if you will. I hope people like it.”
While 2014 really put Jackie Lee on the map, he’s been working towards this for years. From his stone-cold country of a dad, which instilled the sounds of Keith Whitley, Johnny Paycheck, and Mel Street into Jackie’s world to learning from some of the best in the country industry on his record label, Jackie Lee’s upbringing and experience have brought him to where he is today and where he will be in the future. And that future appears to be very bright for Jackie Lee.
And 2015 is off to a hot start for Jackie Lee as he just released his new single, titled ‘Headphones,’ which will hit country radio on May 11th.
You can purchase ‘Headphones’ on iTunes here.
Make sure you follow Jackie on Twitter, Facebook, and on his official website.
Main photo credit: Glenn Sweitzer.