current single: “HEAVENS TO BETSY”
Jackson Dean will release his sophomore album, On the Back of My Dreams, this Friday, September 6th, featuring his new single, “Heavens to Betsy.” Jackson explains where the title of the album came from, and why he chose a lyric from that particular song to represent the whole album.
Jackson Dean – Back of My Dreams title :46
“So, On The Back of My Dreams comes from ‘Jane,’ which is probably my favorite song on the record. I mean, we named Greenbroke after my favorite song on the record, and I figured we follow in suit, do something with my favorite song on the record. And it’s just a dope title. And there is an overarching element to all of these songs. Like, ‘Jane’s’ a little manic. It’s supposed to be just a tad bit disorienting, because you’re like, what is happening?! And all these songs, they all carry this flavor of ‘Jane’ within them. I’ve heard the word disorienting used. I wanted them all to have something of that in them. And they’re not all the obvious country songs, you know. I’m not a fan of the obvious. There’s a different language happening here, and definitely a different sonic footprint happening here, definitely bigger than Greenbroke.”
It’s been two and a half years since Jackson released his debut album, Greenbroke, a lot of which was written when he was 19 years old (he’ll be 24 next month), so he’s definitely grown as a person and as an artist in a lot of ways since then.
Jackson Dean – how changed since Greenbroke :50
“There’s a lot more to the music. Naw, I just got a couple more years on me now, I guess. I’ve probably put down a million miles between now and then, and then some. I’ve definitely cooled my jets a little bit, for sure. I mean, it’s been two years since Greenbroke. And that’s a lot of time to sit back and observe what everybody else is doing. I’m always gonna do what I do. I’m always gonna be who I was. And I think when I came here I knew who I was, and more importantly knew who I wasn’t. I came down here to not be like everybody else. That doesn’t mean I don’t admire other people’s work. But yeah, there’s been a lot of growth on the road. We’re out of a van and into a bus now and rockin’ and rollin’. Our show has gotten so much better. I mean, things are really gravy, and I think they’re gonna get even better when this record gets out.
And Jackson only expects his growth as an artist to continue as his career grows, and he only expects to get better over time.
Jackson Dean – how grown as artist :26
“A general overall desire to be better than I was yesterday. Since the time of Greenbroke I’ve become a hell of a lot better musician. I wanna push myself, not only beneath the lights, but in the studio as well, to be better than what we did yesterday. I don’t wanna take steps back. I wanna go the way time flows, and that’s forward. It only goes one way. Music can elongate that time or slow it down, but you can’t change the way it goes.”
