Local Musical Acts You Should Get to Know, Part I
John Scott of WQIK fame is back with a list of Jacksonville's musicians that we should know.
I’ve hosted a show on 99.1 WQIK that spotlights local talent. When I first threw out the idea, I wasn’t sure there were enough acts that were “country” enough for our station and good enough for airplay. I was gladly overwhelmed with the talent pool. I have featured nearly 60 different acts on the show over the past few years and through the regular connections that come with the show, I’ve met some other groups that have not been on the show, but have blown me away. This is in no way a comprehensive or definitive list (all of these acts either reached out to me at some point or somehow I got their music), just some really talented folks I brag on when someone asks me about local music in the area.
By no means would I call this a definitive list, and instead of shouting out a “why didn’t they mention (artist)?” in the comments section below, please email me a link to that artist at johnscott@wqik.com in hopes I can help spread the word about them on the radio and in future articles for MetroJacksonville.com.
Stephen Carey – singer / songwriter plays guitar like Brad Paisley and has the sense of a good hook like Keith Urban; an awesome combination for today’s country music all wrapped up in a really nice guy. He opened solo for Kip Moore at the Landing and held the crowd in the palm of his hand. His songs just keep getting better. This guy should be nationally known.
www.stephencareymusic.com
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Flagship Romance – I first heard Shawn Fisher and Jordyn Jackson together on “Harvest”, a song off of one of Fisher’s band’s Son of a Badman CD, and hoped to hear more. They have delivered. Don’t pin them into the Civil Wars folk corner, they’ve got a greater variety and use their pop sensibilities to a sweeter end; infectious harmonies and dynamite songs.
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Jordyn Stoddard – a freshman at Fletcher High School, this talented singer-songwriter will warrant comparisons to Taylor Swift’s sound, yet in the scant couple of years I’ve been listening to her, she has already grown exponentially. With catchy choruses and wry observations from a young perspective, Stoddard has a bright future.
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The Sweetest Punch – One of the most original voices in north Florida can be found in Ashley Burkhart, one-third of The Sweetest Punch. Their folky sound is a perfect setting for her voice which harkens back to a different era without sounding dated.
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Clark Hill – Purveyors of the sound of today’s country, which by the way has a lot of 70’s southern rock influence, Clark Hill, the name of the band, bring a super-charged energy to their live shows and down-home, aw shucks personality on their recordings.
www.clarkhillband.com/
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Kimberly Paige – Currently a student at Belmont University in Nashville, Paige has already been signed to a publishing deal for her excellent songwriting. In 2012, she pioneered the Roscolusa Songwriter’s Festival in Nocatee, which started, literally, in her backyard and has grown to include national artists. 2014’s Festival is already in the works.
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Grandpa’s Cough Medicine – If you don’t know bluegrass music, you may not know that for every “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” song of knee-slappin’ fun, there are a dozen songs of darkness, murder ballads, tales of disaster – of historical and personal stories. These guys delve more on the darker edge of bluegrass, but their originality to the genre adds a thrust to the bits of Americana and great original songs.
www.outlawbluegrass.com/
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Article by
John Scott, teams with Robbie Rose and Toni Foxx weekday mornings on 99.1 WQIK’s Big Show. He is also the station’s music director and host of The New Show that spotlights local artists.
By no means would I call this a definitive list, and instead of shouting out a “why didn’t they mention (artist)?” in the comments section below, please email me a link to that artist at johnscott@wqik.com in hopes I can help spread the word about them on the radio and in future articles for MetroJacksonville.com.
Stephen Carey – singer / songwriter plays guitar like Brad Paisley and has the sense of a good hook like Keith Urban; an awesome combination for today’s country music all wrapped up in a really nice guy. He opened solo for Kip Moore at the Landing and held the crowd in the palm of his hand. His songs just keep getting better. This guy should be nationally known.
www.stephencareymusic.com
Flagship Romance – I first heard Shawn Fisher and Jordyn Jackson together on “Harvest”, a song off of one of Fisher’s band’s Son of a Badman CD, and hoped to hear more. They have delivered. Don’t pin them into the Civil Wars folk corner, they’ve got a greater variety and use their pop sensibilities to a sweeter end; infectious harmonies and dynamite songs.
Jordyn Stoddard – a freshman at Fletcher High School, this talented singer-songwriter will warrant comparisons to Taylor Swift’s sound, yet in the scant couple of years I’ve been listening to her, she has already grown exponentially. With catchy choruses and wry observations from a young perspective, Stoddard has a bright future.
The Sweetest Punch – One of the most original voices in north Florida can be found in Ashley Burkhart, one-third of The Sweetest Punch. Their folky sound is a perfect setting for her voice which harkens back to a different era without sounding dated.
Clark Hill – Purveyors of the sound of today’s country, which by the way has a lot of 70’s southern rock influence, Clark Hill, the name of the band, bring a super-charged energy to their live shows and down-home, aw shucks personality on their recordings.
www.clarkhillband.com/
Kimberly Paige – Currently a student at Belmont University in Nashville, Paige has already been signed to a publishing deal for her excellent songwriting. In 2012, she pioneered the Roscolusa Songwriter’s Festival in Nocatee, which started, literally, in her backyard and has grown to include national artists. 2014’s Festival is already in the works.
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine – If you don’t know bluegrass music, you may not know that for every “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” song of knee-slappin’ fun, there are a dozen songs of darkness, murder ballads, tales of disaster – of historical and personal stories. These guys delve more on the darker edge of bluegrass, but their originality to the genre adds a thrust to the bits of Americana and great original songs.
www.outlawbluegrass.com/
Article by
John Scott, teams with Robbie Rose and Toni Foxx weekday mornings on 99.1 WQIK’s Big Show. He is also the station’s music director and host of The New Show that spotlights local artists.