I met Jesse a little over a year ago when I started gigging with Heartless Bastards (he is their bassist/pedal steel-ist/guitarist/backing vocalist wizard) and, given our concentrated exposure time in busses and vans and hotels and green rooms, a solid understanding of who this person is was developed.
Jesse is the guy you want to have in your band--versatile, passionate, neutral, solid. He laughs easy, he's eager and well-equipped for conversation of any brand, he exudes a welcoming magnetism which, as we often joke, invites any and all (at least one stranger per day) to reveal their life story over a beer at the local watering hole. Kindness comes naturally, as does his perfectly timed voice of reason and calming presence in the face of tension. He'll wear his cowboy hat and boots and button-down like they're goin outta style, all with a measured and confident stroll and keen self-awareness. He loves his wife and his new puppy and the state of Texas.
His encyclopedic knowledge of music and the industry, along with an undersung ability to write, make for my deep interest in his current project - an album of his original material. His love of country and bluegrass and rock inform his writing and his voice is genuine, with a touch of twangy rasp. Maybe he will post a link, as I don't have one for him, but keep an eye and an ear out for this one--he's a good egg.
-Kyleen King, 5/28/16, Portland, Or