biographical info
Eschewing the slick sound of Nashville pop in favor of the time-honored
tunesmithing of Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt, Lefty Frizzell, and
others, Blackie Jackett Jr's emotional intensity and faithfulness to
honky-tonk tenets comes as a pleasant surprise in a musical atmosphere
that’s too often about chasing the next throwaway hit single.
But that’s not the only surprise here. Blackie Jackett, Jr.
isn’t a person; it’s a band. And not just any band: it’s the side
project of James Black and Rick Jackett, erstwhile guitarists for
alternative rock favorites Finger Eleven.
“It couldn’t have been easier to put together,” Black marvels.
“Rick and I started playing around with these songs in the back of the
bus towards the end of Finger Eleven’s last tour – one of us would come
up with a part, and the other would help him complete it – and we’d
just build it together.”
Proud of what they’ve accomplished, the members of Blackie
Jackett, Jr. plan to hit the road and show what they’ve learned through
the songwriting and recording experience.
“We’d like for young kids to realize that most of what they
hear on country radio today isn’t really country,” he declares. “The
really good stuff gets pushed into obscurity, and it might take a
little work to get to it. Just look at us: We’re not from Alabama or
somewhere like that, we’re from Ontario, but we all share the same
human condition. We want to be loved, we hope things can work out.
“And,” he adds with a snicker, “we have drinking problems.”