// NEWS
Jesse Ray Smith gets
San diego music award nominations x 2
7: Best Country & Americana Album
“Back to Yesterday” by Jesse Ray Smith
21: Best Video
”Born of Fire” by Jesse Ray Smith
Click Album Cover to go to Spotify
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// PRESS
Stomping Ground
Marin native Jesse Ray Smith wears his heartland on his sleeve
“Smith’s sound bleeds through generations of Americana, feeling at once classic and contemporary in its melodies and arrangements.” ~ Charlie Swanson | Pacific Sun, 2019
Jesse Ray Smith releases single “Easy on Me” off debut solo album
“Smith leans into meaning with a full and open heart. His brand of Americana is earnest and uplifting, an open hand reaching through the inherent melancholy of the genre, while his voice rings with echoes of Chris Stapleton and Bob Seger.” ~ Annie Bacon | The Bay Bridged Apr, 5, 2018
// SHOWS
A PROUD PART OF THE ACOUSTIC SPOT TALENT ROSTER
// MUSIC
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// VIDEO
BOOKING & GENERAL INQUIRIES: jessersmithmusic@gmail.com
// BIO
To Jesse Ray Smith, home is California, as if raised by a family of tumbleweeds along Interstate 5, forever rolling with the Santa Ana winds. In his voice you hear the dust from the highway and the yearning of a young man seeking redemption under the powerlines. Jesse is a singer-songwriter, a husband and a father, dedicated to the pursuit of crafting timeless songs and records with his longtime writing partner Sean Cox Briar. His brand of modern americana blends current indie folk flavors with southern rock sounds of the past, harkening artists such as Bob Segar, Chris Stapleton, and Ray Lamontagne, but also courageously exploring a deeper songbook, at times akin to Paul Simon and CSNY. With his most recent release, 'Back to Yesterday', produced by 2023 Grammy Winning Producer Tyler Chester (Best Folk Album), Jesse's top shelf band of road weathered Bay Area players delivers a unique experience best described as "Heartland Rock with Heartbreak Soul". A Jesse Ray Smith live show is full of love and power that will leave your soul soaring and is not to be missed.
So the "short story" is...
I was raised in the artistic, small-town suburbs of Marin County, a few miles and a full generation removed from the hippy movement that swept through San Francisco in the late 60’s. From Fleetwood Mac's Rumours to Stevie's Songs in the Key of Life, many great records came out of Marin County, fueled by the musical prowess of legendary concert promoter Bill Graham. This was my home, and these legends were a part of the infrastructure that sustained us. Although my parents weren’t big Deadheads, their catalog ran deep, exposing me to a vast collection of great records and artists. Whether it was Graceland, Ziggy Stardust or Dark Side of the Moon — a record was always playing and music was a very present part of my life.
My love for the craft of songwriting grew stronger as I got older. From as early as the age of ten, I had a pressing desire to follow in the footsteps of my musical heroes. Not because they looked cool or lived the dream; because they SOUNDED amazing and, musically, had IT figured out. IT was always about the music for me, and as my family life became more tumultuous in my early high-school years, I came to rely on the cathartic escape that I experienced while sifting through my deeper thoughts and emotions. I kept my head down through, what feels like, the dark ages of my early life, as I watched my mother’s addictions swallow her up. Music became my drug and has remained that way to this day, always providing me with the needed awareness and reflection to navigate my way through the rapids toward calmer waters. I feel like my best work has always come in times of need - when I had nowhere to go to find the truth but deeper within.
So here I am: a few bands removed, a husband, a father and a songwriter, finally facing the music and all my ambitions head on. I’m focused on making the one thing that has always intrigued me the most: a Great record. One that comes from a place of truth and passion and carries a self-contained, distinctive and palpable presence and intention. This quest may take a lifetime, as I navigate my way in and out of different musical and personal journeys. I hope you stick around for the “long story” and hear something you like.
~ Jesse Ray Smith
Other past & current Projects
Burden Feathers — Current indie-rock band based in San Diego, signed to Portland based Dutch Records. First release set for June 25th, 2021 (Band Website).
The San Francisco Sound: Musical History Tour of the Summer of Love — One time show performed Jul 22, 2017 at the Nourse Theatre in San Francisco created by Jimmy Dillon & Paul Libertore with notable guests Joan Baez, Nicki Bluhm, Martin Luther McCoy & The T-Sisters and more! (More info HERE)
Gold Minor (Active 2014) — A Bay Area Rock band that frequented the San Francisco scene and went on a national tour to promote the release of their full-length release, Bone Flowers. Available on all streaming platforms. Jesse played bass on the Bone Flowers tour (Video Live at Viracocha), recorded and produced the vocals on the Bone Flowers album and sang lead on “Jungle Moon” and background vox on various other songs on the album (Listen here on Bandcamp)
Soul Pie (Active 2010-2012) — Played the Fairfax Festival in 2011 and released The Battling Mountains EP, recorded at Jesse Colins Young’s studio, Owl Mountain in 2010/2011. This band switched it’s name to The Bad Jones is 2012 - available on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music)
The Bad Jones (Active 2012-2015) — A Bay Area original rock n’ roll band — Opened for notable acts: Foreigner, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eddie Money and Leon Russell, touring CA and playing a few festivals during the band’s tenure. Bottlerock in Napa, and CVD Fest, opening for Dave Grohl in Chevy Metal were show highlights. In the studio, the band got the opportunity to work with the legendary Brett Eliason at Studio Lithos in Seattle, a studio owned by Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam. Brett has worked with Pearl Jam for over 25 years. Towards the end of 2015, the band brought on Thomas Pridgen (of Mars Volta) to play drums and were able to do some recording with Thomas before the band parted ways. The band’s Self-Titled EP, along with one song recorded by Brett (The Dream), is available on Bandcamp and the other recordings are still being mixed with plans to one day release the compilation.
The Pheromones — (My first band - active 2003-2008) A gigging band in the San Diego scene, frequenting venues like Longboards, Canes and the occasional gig at The Belly Up. We opened up for Pepper at SDSU in 2007 in front of 10,000+ people and got an opportunity to play some shows in New York at the Blue Note Cafe in Time Square and at The Bowery Electric. The Self-Titled EP Release & Full-Length Release “Good for You” are both available on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music).