This show has been a summer tradition for myself and many friends that I meet up with from the great city of Erie, Pennsylvania. We meet up with many more friends at our hotel in St. Clairsville, Ohio and have a family reunion of sorts for 4 or 5 days. Pool parties, laughter, enough beer consumption to give a person tennis elbow and great country music are the order of the day(s). If you haven't been, I encourage you to go, you will thank me time and again, I promise. You will see things at this festival that you cannot describe. As one of my friends has said time and again while we're there, "You can't make this s**t up." He's right.
The music is first rate. There is something there for every taste, ranging from mainstream country, to bluegrass, to folk, to classic country and southern rock. In recent years, many independent artists are featured on the big stage, which is a welcome addition. This year, Colt Ford and the Band Perry stood out among the independent crowd. For me though, this year's highlight was an artist who is signed to a major label in Nashville, but I believe is in tough to get much country radio airplay. Thankfully, that doesn't bother this particular artist.
Jamey Johnson is something of an enigma. He has written hits for such mainstream acts as George Strait and Trace Adkins, yet his own sound is not something that you would find geared to country radio. It sounds to me, like he's recording for the music, for the art. How's that for a novel concept?
Making music for the art of it all and not for commercial gain or radio airplay, to me is truly honorable. The artist must have a deep and true appreciation for their craft. Johnson's performance at Jamboree in the Hills was my first experience in listening to his craft. He is unlike any other performer or songwriter out there in music today. I have rarely seen nor heard an artist who simply walks out on stage, waves his hand to the crowd, and sings whatever he damn well pleases. Johnson's set opened up with his top 40 country hit, "High Cost of Living", which can be found on his classic masterpiece album, "That Lonesome Song." From there, Johnson took the crowd on a proverbial lesson in the history of country music. Ranging from covers of Merle Haggard and George Jones, he closed with his award winning story song "In Color". If you are a country music nerd like me, this was absolute heaven. This man even covered two songs by The Voice, Vern Gosdin. I love Vern Gosdin, I never thought I would hear an artist cover his tunes in a show. The crowd was treated to Gosdin classics "Is It Raining At Your House" and "Set 'Em Up Joe", a top ten and a number one song respectively for Vern Gosdin in 1988 and 1989.
My goal now is to find Jamey Johnson's album, pick it up and review it in this spot. Mostly, I want the album because I'm now a huge mark for Jamey Johnson. I admire what he's doing for country music. He is keeping the history of this great art form alive and paying homage to those who have paved the way for so many great artists who have followed. In my mind, Jamey Johnson is an artist everyone should be paying attention to, both mainstream country and independent Americana artists. He plays what he wants, when he wants, and offers very little compromise in his artistry.
He is the real deal. So is Jamboree in the Hills.
Check out both at www.jameyjohnson.com and www.jamboreeinthehills.com
You will not be disappointed by either.
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