#183 Jared Walker
Jared Walker is an up and coming singer songwriter, following the inspiration from his father and passion for all music but country music holds a special part in his heart. We love his single 'Down On The River' and his deep country style voice.
Down on the River is an upbeat tune, written and performed by Jared Walker. The song was produced by Tune Designer in Georgia, and is a toe tapper with a 90's feel good vibe. If you've ever been down south and spent time fishing, you can likely relate to the feeling this one gives. It was written after several summers of almost nothing but river days and boating. The best way to get to know Jared, would be to listen to his latest single-"Down on the River"as it is a true display of who he is as an artist and a person. He has big plans for the future not only in his life performance, but in collaboration as well. Jared has several potential singles, and is currently working hard to hit the charts.Until then, this one is "Rockin"
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Transcript
Rae Leigh: Welcome to a somewhere in interest with Jared Walker. Thanks for joining me.
Jared Walker: Yeah, thanks for having me.
Rae Leigh: No, I'm glad to have you. And I love your song that I've been listening to. You sent me through, I could only find one though, cause you've only released one single so far. Is that right?
Jared Walker: Yeah, that's correct. I only have one. I have a lot of other there's some working on, but only one so far.
Rae Leigh: That's awesome. Why can't I define that a little bit. About how you got to where you are there with down on the river, but let's start by you telling us a little bit about who you are and where you come from.
Jared Walker: I was born in California, which is kind of funny, but I grew up up north from. Ohio. So. w you know, we lived around a lot of farms, a lot of fields and stuff like that. And, you know, one of the main. Sources and music was country music. So that of course started lot of my influence. I like all music, but you know, that just kind of one that, uh, is a little special to me. And that's sort of how, how I started with that. My dad was a musician. He played a lot of different things, so I was kind of. Lean towards music more than Maybe, just your average person. I always try to write songs and poetry and stuff like that. So yeah, it's just kind of always been, been there just to love for music in general.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Cool. And what you said your dad influenced you had.
Jared Walker: Just cause he would play often and he played so many kinds of instruments and he played more of like a mix of like blues and rock and country and just everything thrown in there. So it kind of covers a really broad spectrum of music, but it all, at the same time, there's a lot of common factors, right?
Rae Leigh: Yeah. fair enough. And it inflow everything in inspires. It influences us and what we listened to growing up and the most, most people that is what our parents play. If your parents liked something, we're going to hear a lot of it growing up because they are in control of the radio.
Jared Walker: right, right. Yeah,
Rae Leigh: So when did you start leaning towards music as something that you wanted to do as an adult?
Jared Walker: So that was probably, well, it's hard to say because I've always kind of felt that way. I sort of grew up in a church where it was a bit different and they wouldn't allow that. So that, that changed a little bit of my upbringing, I guess. But whenever I, I left there, I was 17 that's whenever I really started pursuing it, just because. The passion had been there. And now it was able to do what I wanted to do. So it probably around 17 is when I
Rae Leigh: What do you mean you weren't allowed to do it?
Jared Walker: well, they, they, they frowned on things like that for some reason. So that's a whole other can of worms, but it? was a, uh, sorta controlled type of environment. If that makes sense.
Rae Leigh: I went to a Catholic school when I was a kid. And I specifically, I specifically remember the one of the priests mentioning that apparently the drums were from the devil and I, I couldn't understand that it's the beta of our heart, you know, like
Jared Walker: Yes, absolutely. There's there was a lot of stuff kinda like that going on. So they, there was, yeah, the drums were a huge thing, you know, none of that. So it just kinda prohibited a lot of that from, from taking off. But at the same time, like I said, I always just felt that desire, you know,
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Okay. So you knew it was there, but it was pressed. I can totally relate to that. I grew up in a church where we were only allowed to listen to Christian music. And so I would, I actually spent a lot of my youth rewriting, like popular radio music into Christian music so that I was allowed to play it. I think that's kind of where some of my songwriting skills came from, but
Jared Walker: Man. I did the same thing. That's very funny. You say that. Yeah, I've always done that. Uh, there were certain country songs and my man, I love that song, but
it would have things in there we weren't supposed to say or whatever. So I would rewrite the whole thing so I could play it on guitar and play it with my friends and stuff.
Cause I just loved it, you know?
Rae Leigh: No worries me too. Like the melody and the feel of it. It's like, I didn't care what the words say. I just, I love how this feels and yeah. That's so funny. Yeah. That's exactly what I'd, I've never actually talked to anyone else that did the same thing. So at around 17, what did you do? What was, what, what, what was the catalyst for change at 17?
Jared Walker: So yeah, my dad was out in California and he had a band. He had a country band is called the dirty river band. And, uh, I was like, well, Hey, I'm gonna come out there with you if that's all right. And he said, yeah, sure. So, went out there and he saw I was playing and singing and stuff. He said, well, you want to be in my band. And I was like, well, yeah, that sounds great. So that kind of took off a little bit and that's
Rae Leigh: Wow.
Jared Walker: yeah, that's what got me started down down the path. I would say I'm on today.
Rae Leigh: Wow. So he was still out there performing and touring and doing it live. And you kind of just got to join in once he got to that age.
Jared Walker: Right. Yeah. Yeah. I just started, just playing like backup acoustic guitar, nothing crazy, but it was like, you know, you get to perform in front of people and play awesome songs. he loves. So I was all about it. And then sort around that time is when I started seriously trying to write country songs and, they were, they were scary, but, but I tried and I liked it.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. So, so what, tell us about like your first. Yeah. Tell us about your first writing experience and what inspired you to start writing your own music?
Jared Walker: Oh, man. I don't know that I can remember my actual first time, as far as that goes. I would say I remember the beginning ish, so. I think, I think a lot of my inspiration would come when I was listening to other music? to be honest, like, that's just, you would hear something and you're, and I would think like, man, I love that sound.
And then I wish they would have done more of it, or I wish they would've done this here. And so I would go write something and not that I would use that as a basis, but I would write something with that vibe that I was feeling like I wish they had given me more of, you know, if that makes any sense.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Okay. Yeah. absolutely. I love that. I think that I hear a lot of that in music when people are inspired by something and it's not the whole thing, it's just a little part of something and then they take it and run with it.
Jared Walker: Yeah. absolutely. That's one of my favorite things.
Rae Leigh: So, what did it take for you to get from writing your own music to recording your own music in releasing down the river? What was that journey for
Jared Walker: So that was a long time coming. I'd wanted to do that for a long time too. I didn't think it, I didn't think it was realistic. It just seems so far out, you?
know? But I just kept writing and writing and years ago, it kind of starts way back. I guess I had met this guy. His name is Eric Durance and he. He is a musician in the area, but he's also connected with a, another guy who is really famous for writing country music and his name's Jayco and he's a popular artist. And so I knew, I knew this guy, Eric, who had written with him. And I met him at a show and I found I got to talk to him and I was like, Yeah. man, I really love your stuff.
I write some myself. And he's like, man, that's really cool. And usually, you know, they try to talk to you and move on, but this guy talked to me for a while and we had a good conversation about me. And then he gave me his information and then we've been corresponding for years. When I sent him the song down river, I said, Hey man, check this out, Tim, what you think?
And he sent back and he said, man, that, that needs to be out there. So he gets, 'em put her on the radio. And I said, all right, well, I'm not sure how to do that. And so he's, he said, there's this guy. up in Georgia and he's got a studio and he'll, he'll set you up. So contacted him, got that set up. So that was a great experience.
And then, so they do like the remote thing where you send in your vocals and you send in, you know, what you want and things like that. And then they send you the track and then you have to put your vocals back into it, but they mix it all for ya. So that's how, how I
Rae Leigh: So you did it all remotely.
Jared Walker: All remotely. Yeah.
Rae Leigh: That's awesome. I did that on a few songs and. Yeah. Yeah. So like you have, have you, I mean, I have a decent home recording. She do, like, I don't mind that, but I do love getting into this studio as well, but it's also, it can be a little bit more intimidating being in front of like a, a $10,000 microphone instead of my few hundred, a little one at home. Like it's just, it's different.
Jared Walker: What's the experience with that is, is it, is it a lot better to, you know, like being in a city of experiencing that? Is it, does it give you more insight on what to do with your song? Like, I feel like it would change the vibe. I don't know.
Rae Leigh: well, it's funny because I guess both have worked for me because I obviously being more relaxed when you're singing. You're going to get a better performance out of your vocals if you're more relaxed. And so being at home in my bedroom, when I can do take off to take out to take and not worry that I'm wasting anyone's time I'm more relaxed and I think I get a bit of vocal, but.
The sound quality that you can get from some of these studio microphones, which I'm just never going to invest in for myself. I don't think, I mean, if I can go to somewhere and they can record a decent take and it's just so good, but it is, it's something that you have to get practiced that because there is such a thing as called it's called red, red light syndrome. And if you've ever heard of that,
Jared Walker: No, I
Rae Leigh: essentially that's where, when you're being recorded, people freeze up. So it happens with like being in front of a camera, but it also happens in a studio where you, when you're being recorded, where. You can be so nervous and just be paralyzed by anxiety that you've, you don't give it a good performance or you freeze completely and you, you know, your vocals jam up.
And so, you know, it takes practice and that's why people, you know, just like performing on stage. It's not the same initially. It's something you have to warm up to.
Jared Walker: absolutely. Yeah. I definitely can, can understand that.
Rae Leigh: It's all about getting out of your comfort zone, I reckon.
Jared Walker: Yeah. Yeah. Which is, can be difficult. I've never actually recorded in the studio. I haven't had that opportunity yet. So that would be a first for
Rae Leigh: So you'll know. you'll go in there and if you get a little bit nervous, you'd be like, oh, that's what really was talking about. It's just different. It that I'm sure. I'm sure you'll be fine. So tell me about when you, when you are writing songs and you, you go into that songwriting process, is there something that you like to always think about, or you always like to put into your music? That is the Jared Walker.
Jared Walker: That's a good question. That's a little difficult to answer, I would say yes simply, but there are sounds, I always try to, to go for, to me like country music is A major hook. John rhe, not saying others aren't, but it seems like it's got, you know, a lot of punch. So I always go for a special effect in the hook, if that makes any sense to where it, not that it will be the same as anything else, but I like to give it an extra. It's uniqueness. I don't know how to explain that one, but I would,
Rae Leigh: That's okay. I mean,
Jared Walker: are things.
Rae Leigh: yeah, So someone once told me in a podcast that They were told by a fan at a, at a festival once that songwriters only either write tragedy or. Happy positive music and they don't do both. So sometimes, and I find this curious, because I do think that I've written tragedy stuff when I was dealing with, you know, not great experiences, but they always were quite optimistic.
And now that I'm happier, I'm writing more fun, happy music. And I wonder, it's like, what am I, you know, does everyone have this thing or is it just a, a massive
Jared Walker: I understand what you're saying. Yeah. I would, I tend to write certain ways in certain time periods. I go through periods where I write a lot of sad stuff and then. Then it's like, you know, when spring comes around and I got to make some happy, happy music, because it just doesn't feel right anymore. But usually it's
Rae Leigh: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah. Do, do you do you find that when you, you are feeling down though, and you go and write a song, like it tends to make you feel better?
Jared Walker: Oh, absolutely. It's a hundred percent therapy and that's probably one of the main reasons I started, I guess it's just the therapy of it. I mean, I love doing it, but it's especially like, and I'll say this carefully, but like, especially when you're writing a sad song, there is a lot of therapy in that too. Just the, the full-on. Not, Not, feeling sorry for yourself, but sorta kinda just letting those emotions flow. And that can be a really powerful song that comes out of that.
Rae Leigh: Allowing yourself to feel the pain. Because we do often in life where we're, especially in Western culture we're taught to suppress and hide and don't cry and don't feel bad. Like you're not allowed to feel bad, but I find when it bottles up too much inside of me, I need to let it out. And so I've, I learned to let it out through songwriting. And that's why for me as well, a lot of my songs that I wrote before I actually started being an artist. This, I was just writing for myself where me letting the pain out.
Jared Walker: Absolutely.
Rae Leigh: But it's good therapy. I think everyone needs to create space for them to feel human.
Jared Walker: For sure.
Rae Leigh: So, so do you, have you, you said you haven't done much co-writing have you ever done a co-write with anyone before? That's okay.
Jared Walker: I have not done an actual co-write. No, I I've. I have contacted people and threw off ideas and That's the furthest I've ever gotten.
Rae Leigh: Yeah,
Jared Walker: I would like to, it just hasn't happened yet, so I have not had that opportunity.
Rae Leigh: Okay. I think I'll have to be your first. I'll pop that cherry with you.
Jared Walker: That would be, Hey, that would be
Rae Leigh: We can.
Jared Walker: You can't,
Rae Leigh: We can do it at Jewett and, we can do a Jewett and record remotely and, you know, get it, get it done and see what happens. We've both got the ability to do that. That sounds like fun. I loved you. It, so that's, I don't know why I don't have, I don't have a duet partner or anything like that, but I've written a lot of duets. I don't know why I disliked them.
Jared Walker: Yeah,
Rae Leigh: one day I was going to meet someone that I could sing them with.
Jared Walker: Well, I can wait. I can be the first to that. That'd be fine.
Rae Leigh: that sounds like fun. Tell me about on your journey with your dad and, and meeting these amazing people that you've worked with. What would you say has been the best advice that you've ever been to.
Jared Walker: So can you give me a lot of hard ones? I may have to. think about that one for a
Rae Leigh: I'm sorry.
Jared Walker: there, there are. That's all right there, there are several, several things that I remember people say, and sometimes you don't always think of it. Exactly. But that whole mood of it stays with you. It kind of stays in the back of your mind, but mostly what I can say is I just, just having people tell you that, you know, they like what they hear and don't give up.
That's about the best advice I've ever heard. Just it's simple, but they, they just, you know, giving you a few words of. Support, I guess just saying, you know, I think you could be something, it could be something great. One day. That's kind of the stuff that sticks with me. so yeah.
I mean, I know everything I write is not gold and it's by far not the best stuff out there. But, you know, keep doing what you like doing what you love. And eventually I feel like there's always bound to be a breakthrough or something is going to be better than everything else, you know?
Rae Leigh: Yes. Yeah, absolutely. I think I agree with that. Like as much as we have to have self-belief to do what we love, like you have to believe in yourself to a degree, having other people, supporting you and believing in you from the outside is it's so validating. And it's like, there's not, there's nothing wrong with needing that.
I think everyone needs. That at some point in their life, especially as kids, but more and more as we get older as well. When we're doing something outside of the normal,
Jared Walker: Yeah, absolutely.
Rae Leigh: tell me, I'm
Jared Walker: agree with that. Sure.
Rae Leigh: Tell me when you were a kid, if you could go back in time and talk to yourself, maybe around that age of 17, when you started sort of breaking away from. What you were doing before that, if you could give yourself one piece of advice, what would you say to yourself?
Jared Walker: That's a good question. I probably would. It would probably be in the area of encouragement, really. Like just like everything else, just because I used to be extremely down on myself. You know, for things. In regards to music, well, many things, but especially music. And just not thinking that you have enough in you, even though like a part of you is telling you, you do like, your passion is telling you, you do, but you feel.
You're not good enough, you know, and I would probably just tell myself, keep doing what I'm doing because, but do it, but work harder at it because you know, you do have the ability to do anything you want to do. So it would probably be in the lines of encouragement, which is it's funny, but you know, some people need more than others.
Rae Leigh: that. Yeah. But also believing that you can do anything you want to do. It needs, I mean, post COVID, I don't know what it's like with you there, but there's definitely a lot of restrictions going on at the moment here. But. Every day is a choice. And every decision we make is a choice and it's good to be self-aware and have knowledge that you make your own bed.
You know, you live the life that you choose, you want to live. And I think some people potential. Play victim to their own life. Does that make sense? You know, every decision they make was never their decision. It was because of someone else. And then they, you know, they blame the world or whatever it is for the way that their life is rather than taking ownership for the choices that we make in life and creating the life that you want to live. And that's, that's not something that they teach you in school, you know, it's different.
Jared Walker: Yeah, absolutely. it's it's It's definitely something that can be a struggle. Especially because, you know, certain people I think do have it harder than others. And so that's one of those times where you have to take initiative on yourself just because you were, you know, just because you had disadvantages, it doesn't make you much different, you know, than anyone else. You got to get the motivation to do it yourself and you have to make it happen. I mean, there's, there's plenty of.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Jared Walker: things that you can always find for an excuse, but getting things done is something not everyone does.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. And that's so true. It's so easy to find the world is full of plenty. Plenty of good reasons not to do something. It's about finding the few good reasons to do something,
Jared Walker: Absolutely.
Rae Leigh: I don't know about you, but yeah, it's taken me a long time to find reasons to do something. I fallen in love with just doing stuff now and just see what happens, you know, just.
Jared Walker: absolutely.
Rae Leigh: what, but I I'm, I can relate to that whole being a perfectionist and like being really harsh on yourself and not thinking things are good enough or like you're, you're worthwhile. Cause that's something that I struggled with for most of my life. I think that's why I didn't do music for a really long time, because I didn't believe in myself, but I also just didn't think I was good enough.
And I didn't think I had a good enough voice because I didn't sound like the people on the radio, you know,
Jared Walker: Absolutely. That's the same. That's the same thing. Yeah. That's the same, same feeling that, that I was kind of referring to Exactly. I always thought that I didn't have the voice for it. And the funny thing is when I hear someone like you I would never guess that because, you know, it. sounds fantastic. And so I think we're a lot harder on ourselves than what other people perceive, you know?
Rae Leigh: Always. I'm the worst at it? I, yeah, I cringe most of the time when I hear my voice and other people. Oh, it's so beautiful. I'm like really? I'm sure I could do better. Like, I'm sure it can get better, but at the same time, I think it's good to have a bit of that. It's good to. Not necessarily be over overly egotistical and think you're amazing, but also just knowing that there's always improvement to be made.
And if you just keep working on things and getting better and being able to receive that feedback is really good. Tell me about your influences now. So if you could work with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Jared Walker: Well, does it have to just be one.
Rae Leigh: lot of people struggle with that one. You can pick a couple, if you lack.
Jared Walker: Well, that's, that's really hard because here's the thing. My favorite artist is not really, really in my John rhe, which is interesting, but Elvis Presley is hands down. The guy would choose for anything just because I believe he had the best voice out of anyone. And that's a huge statement, but I think that.
He, you know, he was the king, so it would definitely have to be, have to be Elvis. Now, as far as my influences for country music like older stuff, like Dwight Yoakam George stray, a willing Nelson guys like that are what I listened to a lot and have listened to for years. There's just something about their, their soulfulness and their music.
It just, it can't compare even to today's most of today's music. And I say that carefully as well, because There's a lot of stuff I like out there, but something about that, that older stuff sometimes. More sold than you can find anymore. It seems like
Rae Leigh: There's a rawness to it. Isn't it, when it hasn't been touched by Auto-Tune and, you know, since and things it's very raw and authentic and the amount of talent that people in that generation had to have, you know, you had to be a good thing or you had to sing on point and mean you probably had to spend a week doing vocals just to get every note. Correct. It's
Jared Walker: that perfect take. Right.
Rae Leigh: Yeah, literate respect. Yes. So it's so much
Jared Walker: there's not much, there's not much editing back then and they could do it was pretty much you're in the studio and you got to get it right.
Rae Leigh: You just got to keep going. And if you can't sing on pitch, then you're out really like that. It was pretty cutthroat, but it also meant that it wasn't as competitive. You know, it was people who did it and that was their profession and they dedicated a hundred percent of their life to.
Being that, you know, that instrument. And it's just not like that anymore. And I'm grateful for it because it means that we can sing and there's little distracting imperfections don't, you know, can just be fixed without having to spend tens of thousands of dollars continuously recording. But yeah, I agree.
I think I love that. I love Elvis Presley. I'm looking at, are you going to, have you seen the trailer for the new movie?
Jared Walker: Yeah. I have actually, I was, looking at it about a week ago and I'm stoked about it. Just can't wait to see it because I mean, I've watched all the Elvis movies, like, you know, the real Elvis movies and it's like, you you've been. Unable to get more of that, that you haven't seen. So I know it's not like a legitimate Elvis guy, but this is going to be pretty cool.
I think just because I think it portrays pretty well still, you know, some of the, the vibe.
Rae Leigh: Why don't we finish out the podcast by you telling me a little bit about what is coming up? You said you've got some music that's coming out. You've got, do you do perform live where you are? How can people find you and follow you? And any links and socials I'll put into the description of the podcast?
Jared Walker: Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, I perform in Tallahassee and a small town here where I am, in Florida. I just do small venues and stuff. As far as right now, I'm working with another guy to do some duo stuff live and that'll be pretty fun. I'm working on putting out some more music. I have several.
Titles the probably going to be singles, but not sure about now with them yet, but, yeah, I definitely going to put out more than. And it's always on Spotify, apple music, and a YouTube premium stuff like that. And then I have a Facebook page. You just look up Jared Walker and then it will pull up a public profile. And, yeah. So That's pretty much. the gist of that. That's where I do all my post. All my stuff is on my page. There.
Rae Leigh: brilliant. Well, I'll put all the links to your music, enter your socials in the description of the podcast and on the blog, which goes on the website somewhere to trust.com. And that way people can listen to the podcast, they can check out your music and then also follow you. So that they're up to date with, you know, when you release your new music, but I'm looking forward to it because I love down on the river.
I'll put in a little teaser for people to have a listen to it in this podcast so that they can go and go and listen to it. And then, yeah, we've got a co-writer song which is going to be. We'll see what
Jared Walker: Yeah, that sounds like, that sounds like an exciting adventure. I'm all about it. I don't know what is really entails. It entails, I guess. I don't know if you like, have to like send things back and forth all the time while you're writing or you just write something down and mash it together. But.
Rae Leigh: it's interesting. Like I've done so many different Cairo. It's changed, like before COVID I would travel. I'd be like, yep. I'll come over to Florida and we'll, we'll do something, you know, we'll sit down and spend three hours just hanging out and writing music. And then You know, with, with COVID everyone started doing online co-writes and sometimes I've done caress online where we've had like a backing track and we've just taught blind it.
And we've written the song to the backing track. And then we've obviously had to re like do something else for the music. And then other people I've come up with an idea and then I've emailed them. And then in their own time, they come up with an idea and then send it back and we just do that back and forth thing.
And that actually works really well as well because it, especially with the time difference you know, we can do it when we've got free time. And then just wait for the person's response to to those ideas and it, it evolves itself.
Jared Walker: Yeah. Yeah, that sounds
Rae Leigh: cool. I like it.
Jared Walker: awesome. I mean, your idea of doing a duo is just fantastic. I've been thinking about that ever since you said it. So, uh, you know, maybe we'll have to, we'll have to make something happen. I think we can
Rae Leigh: Maybe it maybe if it feels right, will be. That'd be cool. We'll have to do a follow-up podcast. If we, if we get this done, that'd be great. All right, brilliant. I'm going to finish up. Is there anything else you would like to say while you're still on the podcast?
Jared Walker: I don't think I really have anything else. This is one of my, like one of my first podcast? so it's a little little on the spot feeling, but it's, it's really, it's really been fun.
Rae Leigh: There you go
Jared Walker: really appreciate it.
Rae Leigh: Well, you're welcome. Thanks for sharing your first time experience, on a podcast with me. That's that's a real privilege. All right. I'm going to finish up and I look forward to sharing it. Thank you.
