Jon Jackson – Green Apples

It was about 2 months ago while switching from posts to posts on my google reader page where I’ve subscribed to my favorites audio blogs including Songs:Illinois. Once again, Craig’s writing teased my curiosity with an article about a young talented singer songwriter from Tennessee : Jon Jackson !2 streamed songs later, my browser was already loading the cdbaby.com page for buying the Green Apples album. Thirty minutes later, the precious collection was mine…Listening to the Untitled intro song, I first be surprised by the deep dark voice similar to Sam Parker in an almost spoken word over an acousitic guitar debut… then these magnificient collection of stories dives in the superb and unique melting of bluegrass, americana and country. ‘The Sycamore Tree‘ ballad reveals the powerful voice of Katharine Embree in this fluent duet ! Green Apples, the album title song is flirting in my memory and reach one of my preferred Rolling Stones songs : ‘Sweet Virginia‘…Fly, Comin’ Home, Born to be Blue, Paradox…, those following songs are musically intense ! Melting all those genre, Jon has defined his own Soul music : simply, honestly and soulfully.Since, album is still looping in my library : most of the songs are now rated from 4 to 5 stars. And like all those rare good albums, emotions are growing listening after listening. Not like a good “cider”, but I’m sure like a great red wine bootle. For a first vintage, Jon has raised the top of the best oenologists !With two reviews so eulogistic already written (Songs:Illinois, Herohill.com), I’ve finally sent couple questions to Jon who’s kindly writing me back..

YCD : Could you please tell us your story about music ?Jon : Well, it’s still sort of a mystery to me at this point. My parents aren’t musicians and neither is my sister. And I didn’t start playing an instrument or writing until a few years ago. But it all started with a heartbreak. You see, there was this girl up at the Waffle House, (it’s a shit-hole diner here in the South) and she was just painfully beautiful and I fell hard. But she wasn’t interested in me. So that’s when I started writing songs, you know, for her. It became my way of dealing with it.After that was done, I kept writing and started wanting to record a cd. My landlord owns a studio and I was thinking “If I don’t do this, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.” And it just felt like it was what I should be doing. So I saved up my money, went part-time at my job and spent a year in the studio. My original plan was to print up about 100 cd’s, sell those to my family and friends, and move on to the next thing. Sort of a last ditch effort before I had to grow up and become an adult. It wasn’t until after we’d recorded all the tracks that I started thinking “hey, wait a minute, I really like this.” So now, here I am hooked on song-writing like a heroin addict. I love it. I think about it everyday. I don’t write songs everyday though. But it really has changed the way my brain operates. It’s really been a blessing and opened up a creativity in me that I didn’t know was there. Emmet Fox talks about how when man creates, he is truly communicating with God. I like that. All the good songs I’ve written, (and I’ve written alot of bad ones too) are the ones that basically write themselves. There is something magical that happens when a song just falls together so effortlessly. It seems to come from beyond.

YCD : You’ve recently wrote on yourspace that “Thinking, now, about my songs, they’re like a tree with distinct branches. each branch of songs was written with one specific person in mind. some branches are simple and small, and some are very strong, and still others are just in the way.” Branches of an apple tree?Jon : Yea, I was trying to say that my songs have all been written with just a handful of muse’s. I came up with tree analogy and used it because it fit with the green apple theme i guess.

YCD : “Papaw McClung” is an amazing song.. would you mind telling us about it.Jon : Well, it’s a true story about my Mom’s Dad. I never met him, but I’ve always heard that he was different after he came home from the war. More withdrawn and violent. The first words came to me one night in the shower and I spent the next few hours writing the rest of it. I remember thinking I’d never be able to play the song for anyone because it might piss my family off. I also remember feeling like I was writing a letter from him to my Mom. It was weird. At one point I had the sensation he was in the room with me. The song was one of those that just kind of wrote itself. So the next day I went over to my Mom’s and played it for her. I told her if she didn’t want to play it for anyone else I wouldn’t. She cried and said it was fine if I recorded it and played it out. She asked me when I’d written it and I told her the night before. Then she said “that was 35 years ago to the day that he died.” I got chills after she told me that.

YCD : If there is one song you could steal and claim it as your own for ever which one would you choose and why?Jon : That’s a great question. It’s hard to decide if I love a song because of the lyrics or because of the vocalist. I hate to say it because it’s so predictable, but probably Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” I have to say that’s the best song I’ve ever heard. It moves me more than any song and I still listen to it and feel it after hearing it for years. Runner’s up? “Long Ride Home” by Patty Griffin and David Allan Coe’s “The Ride.” Also “Sweet Side” by Lucinda Williams.

YCD : Anyone that have already listened to Green Apples album are expecting for more than a single shot – sorry for so much pressure – Projects for 2008 – … will you leave more than a single collection to your kids ???Jon : It all depends on if I continue to grow in my song-writing. I’ve written a lot of horrible songs that I never want anyone to hear, but if I keep writing good ones, then I’ll keep recording them and trying to put them in peoples hands. I want that to happen. I want to write great songs that affect people the way I’m affected by a great song. I’ve got a few new ones that I like but I’ll need some more before I’m ready to go back to the studio.

YCD : Thank you so much Jon for taking time to answer our questions and achieving this superb album !

Hope my enthusiasm and this interview will tease your desire to buy Green Apples ! You’re just at one click to do it. If you’re still reading these words, then just play the following songs and be sure you’re about to discover the best gift a musical pair of ears deserves these days !Artist : Jon JacksonLabel : Serenity Hill RecordsWhere to buy : CD Baby