Damn Your Roses-Craig Jackson

Damn Your Roses, the 2010 release from Folk/Americana singer/songwriter and Nashville, Tennessee resident Craig Jackson, features a style comparable to the likes of fellow Americana singer Tom Petty while showcasing Jackson's originality showcased through the in-depth and intimate lyrics. Recorded in Fairview, Tennessee, the 10-track album displays Jackson's collaborative efforts with singer/songwriter Ruth Collins and Engineers Adam Popick and Eric Masse. Jackson demonstrates his own unique songwriting capabilities on the tracks "The Crying Game", "Everytime You Leave", and "Broken".

The ballad "The Crying Game" features the collaborative efforts of Jackson and singer/songwriter Ruth Collins. After placing an ad in a local newspaper seeking other singers/songwriters for collaborative efforts, Jackson was first introduced to Collins. These efforts paid off for the musicians, as Collins and Jackson began co-writing on various songs including the romantic ballads "The Crying Game" and "Everytime You Leave". On "The Crying Game", Jackson and Collins sing the touching lyrics, " -- Can I hold your hand/Can I help you through/And if it helps to say I've been there too/Can't close your eyes/Caught in between/Now honey it's alright/We're all scared to dream -- /" to encourage others to take love slow, enjoying every intimate moment like it's the last. The ballad is a sweet serenade as the lyrics display the emotional thoughts developed between each character.

Through the melodic ballad "Everytime You Leave", Collins and Jackson continue their collaborative efforts while giving the song an Acoustic feel. The song displays the intimate thoughts of Jackson as he pleads to his love, " -- I am thinking maybe you'll stay here with me just one more night/We could talk about why the leaving is the hardest part/And I try but it's all that I see/Everytime you leave -- /" Shortly after co-writing the song with Collins, Jackson felt a sense of happiness with the final cut of the track. "The song had an Acoustic feel with Ruth that made me feel good," Jackson states.

While Collins helped collaborate on four tracks on Damn Your Roses, Jackson also enlisted the co-writing efforts of Percussionist/Engineer Adam Popick on various tracks through the album including "Broken". Through the song's lyrics, " -- I'm broken down in Memphis/I'm broken down inside/I've been so many years/Since lucks been on my side -- /" Jackson and Popick are able to display the emotional thoughts of the character as they continue down a deep and dark journey through life. After only one hour, Jackson and Popick penned the Acoustic ballad with strong instrumentations of the Acoustic Guitar, Bass, and Piano. These instruments provided the emotional backdrop behind the feel of the song.

At the tender age of 16, Craig Jackson started performing at various bars around his hometown. After being influenced by bands/artists such as the Grateful Dead, Jackson Browne, and Tom Petty, Jackson decided to turn his dreams of music into a lifelong career. In 1998, Jackson released his debut album Last House On The Left. The album featured more Rock-Guitar riffs while showcasing Jackson's smooth vocal contributions. Five years later, Jackson would display a musical growth with the release of Midwest. The sophomore release introduced the sounds of the Grand Piano throughout the album's tracks. In 2006, Jackson transformed his early Pop/Rock influences into beautiful arrangements with strong Folk/Americana sounds on the 10-track album Spanish Rain. With the release of Spanish Rain, Jackson felt as though his writing had "landed". After the successful release of the album, Jackson would receive much recognition for his influential songwriting techniques. In 2009, the Craig Jackson Band was nominated for "Best New Band of 2009" at Nashville, Tennessee's Toast of Music City Awards.

After releasing his latest album Damn The Roses, Jackson has been performing around Tennessee around various venues including Richard's Caf© and The Farm House Restaurant at Fontanel Mansion. Currently Jackson is working on a new album set to be released late 2011.

For more information about Craig Jackson, please visit http://www.craigjackson.com