Meet Jason Elmore

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Elmore.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in 1978 in Denison, Texas. My earliest memory as a very small child, maybe even a baby, was my mother wrapping me up in blankets and tucking me into bed and putting on BJ Thomas’s record “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”. She would also play music in the house and the car all the time. Usually pop and country hits from the eighties. She was always very fond of George Strait and also Christmas music. When I would go to my fathers on the weekends, he would always have music blasting. Everything from Scorpions to AC/DC to Stevie Ray Vaughan. I would also sneak into my cousin’s room nearby to look at his X-rated magazines and listen to heavy metal like Quiet Riot, Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera.

When I would visit my grandparents, my grandmother would play Elvis records and my grandfather would sit out in the garage drinking scotch and blasting instrumental bluegrass tapes. All of these sounds intrigued me and laid the groundwork for me embracing musical diversity. I learned to associate pleasant memories with all of those sounds for my childhood and then when I became a musician, I already had an understanding of those various tones and musical movements because I had grown up with them embedded in my subconscious. Looking back, it was the best thing that could’ve happened because I still have a very broad and diverse palate of musical styles that interest me and that I try to learn and advance with.

I started playing guitar when I was about 12 and have been obsessed with it since. I started playing professionally when I was about 20 years old and have not done anything else. I still enjoy learning and growing as a guitarist. In the last 5 years, I’ve really focused hard on also becoming a good singer and songwriter. I have no children but I have a dog and a very loving and supportive wife, which helps immensely because you need someone to be in your corner in this business, as it can be brutal at times and it’s great to have someone who doesn’t resent the lifestyle and who encourages me to keep reaching higher and getting better. I obsess over learning and improving my skills, partly so that I can have a positive feeling of accomplishing something during my short time here on earth, and partly so that my wife will be proud of me and know that all of her support and encouragement is time well spent.

I’ve been playing regularly on the DFW scene for about 8 years now, as well as touring a few times of year. I regularly tour in Canada, where I have a large and supportive fanbase as well. I get pidgeonholed as being a “blues” act because the Dallas Observer has nominated and elected me as “Best Blues Act” several times but that title is a blessing as well as a curse. As I mentioned at the beginning, I’m influenced by many different styles of music and I showcase that variety in my music. My band is much more of a rock band than a blues band. We are much more Van Halen than Muddy Waters, even though the blues is a large part of my musical makeup so much of my music has that essence. The same applies to the rock music of the 60’s and 70’s, which is largely blues-based, even though there are more sophisticated structures and lyrics.

In addition to the electric stuff I do with the band, I also stay quite busy as a solo acoustic artist. I was very enamored with the stylings of Monte Montgomery and Tommy Emmanuel a few years ago and I have since developed a large musical vocabulary of songs and techniques in that style. Most people think of solo acoustic and they automatically think of a cowboy sitting around a campfire strumming C, F, and G chords. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that but my acoustic performances involve quite a bit more athleticism on the instrument, which is a very rewarding thing when all goes according to plan. My entire life revolves around music, whether its learning a new chord or scale, playing shows with my band or alone, or just listening to music. I’m literally obsessed with it, sometimes to an unhealthy level.

Please tell us about your art.
In my opinion, at this time in 2018, I feel like the world has exchanged quality for quantity when it comes to music. It is my life’s mission to release music that has melody, harmony, lyrical depth, and technical prowess. I’m very picky about the songs that I write and sometimes they take years to finally get them to where I’m satisfied enough to record them and put them out into the world. It seems like the guitar has become a less popular instrument in this century than it was in the previous one. I’ve made it my mission to make the music that I would want to hear if I were buying it. I used to fret (no pun intended) about whether or not people would like it or if it was too bluesy, or not bluesy enough, etc., etc.

Lately, I came to the realization that people will pay and celebrate some very mediocre music and that the general public doesn’t REALLY appreciate art, ANY media of art, the way that they used to. It’s cost me a lot of tears, frustration, anger, resentment, and confusion over the years but finally I feel like “the lightbulb came on” in my brain and I now only concern myself with making music that is enjoyable to MY ears and my soul. If people like it and can take something from that, then that’s all the better! I make my music to soothe my own soul and I hope that others can find the value in it the way I do. And if they don’t, then that’s okay too, I’m going to keep on keeping on. I’m thankful, however, that there ARE people around the world who do enjoy what I do and they keep enabling me to share my music with the world instead of just being a dollar-store Howard Hughes. haha

Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
To be honest, I never read the paper or watch the news. I live in my own bubble where I expose myself to the things and people that I choose to so that I’m the one in control of the quality of my own happiness. Some people will say that’s unpatriotic or selfish, but that’s just the way that I operate so that I can stay focused and encapsulated by my music.

I feel like social media and the internet in general, can be very useful for artists, but it can also be a source of much frustration and negativity. People can be cruel behind a keyboard. You can YouTube Bach, Hendrix, Louis Armstrong, Hank Williams, or Michael Jackson, and as awesome and prolific as those names are, there will be comments on the internet tearing those artist’s work down. I think that’s very unfortunate and it can be damaging because people don’t like to think for themselves when they can look up other opinions and just be satisfied with those.

At the same time, the internet has provided the independent artist with many positive ways to promote and expose their craft to a much wider audience than was previously possible. Like anything, it has its pros and cons.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
If I’m not touring or playing out of town, I can be found playing shows every weekend around the DFW metroplex. Some weeknights as well. People can come to my shows and expect to be entertained by musical sincerity and as much physical showmanship as we can muster. I’ve never been one to walk on tables, play the guitar behind my head or with my teeth, have smoke and dragons coming out of the stage, or any of that stuff. I try to focus on playing interesting musical passages with feeling and hope that people will enjoy the music for what it is, rather than have an accompanying sideshow. Sometimes it works, sometimes it fails. People crave over-the-top antics these days. If only I could do those Eddie Van Halen scissor-kicks I just know it would put me into a higher tax bracket. haha

My music can be purchased online at places like Amazon, iTunes, etc. I do lose out on a certain percentage of income with those avenues but I still get a little bit of money. However, if someone downloads my music at my website, www.jasonelmore.net, then I receive 100% of the profits for my work, which I think is fair. Ultimately, my preferred way to get my products into people’s hands is to have them come to my shows and buy the CDs, etc., directly from me. I enjoy meeting and thanking people personally for supporting my work. It really does mean a lot to me when people buy a CD at the show because that tells me that I’ve reached that person and they “get” it.

I am currently working on building a YouTube channel, where I will be showcasing a lot of video, both personal and professional. There will be guitar lessons, performances, and other such fun. I currently have 3 studio albums out and a live DVD on the way. My next project will be a string of hard-rock singles from my band, as well as a studio album of all solo acoustic material. Both of those will hopefully see the light of day by the end of 2018. Folks can go to my website, Instagram, or Facebook pages to find out current news and release dates.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jasonelmore.net
• Email: jasonelmore78@msn.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/jasonelmore_official
• Facebook: Jason-Elmore-and-Hoodoo-Witch

Image Credit:
Zoltan Katona

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