Published: August 13, 2007 01:27 pm         

Grant Cook to headline music jam

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By Kelly Young

news@jacksonvilleprogress.com

How do you describe a musician with no defining genre or dominant influences?

One who is perfectly capable of playing a twangy country tune, switching to some blistering rock, mellowing out with a bit of the Blues and finishing off by jamming to some reggae?

Grant Cook is one such artist, and his own self-description is about as accurate as you’re likely to get. “The shortest way that I can describe with words what I do is – variety with a lot of originality.”

Residents of Jacksonville will get a chance to sample Cook’s variety Oct. 6 when he and a few of his friends headline the second annual Jacksonville Music Jam.

“I’m really looking forward to the music jam because I’ll be able to play in front of people that don’t usually get to go to clubs to hear me and take their kids. As a family man, it’s great to see another generation growing up and digging my music,” Cook said. “I’m 45 now, and those people that I played for 20 years ago now have kids of their own who are having kids of their, so I’m beginning to see a third generation of fans popping up.”

After hearing him play during last year’s music jam, organizers of the event knew they wanted him back again this year.

“Last year we played directly before Bugs Henderson, and I think I was asked to headline this year based on that performance,” Cook said. “I guess I made a big impression. But I had the idea of instead of me just playing, let’s pull in some of these guys around here who are incredible musicians to join me on-stage and turn it into an all-star jam.”

Joining Cook at the Jam will be Richard Raines on guitar, Keith Jones on bass, Todd Henry on keyboards, Sean Fuller on saxophone and John Simmons on harmonica.

Cook has released seven albums and written approximately 500 songs, but he has chosen to stay local rather than pursue a life on the road.

“I’ve played music with a lot of big names, and I’ve seen a lot of the privacy those people have had to give up for the level of money they were getting, and it didn’t make much sense to me. Family is more important to me than living on the road – business is secondary to me,” he said. “I’ve created a nice little geographical area with a 300 to 400 miles radius all around me where I work about 300 gigs a year. The limelight isn’t as big anymore, but my rewards are better because I can be home all the time.”

Cook’s career began early as his parents recognized his musical gifts and surrounded him with professional musicians.

“In our home growing up we had a piano, a bass guitar, a guitar and a little set of bongo drums. I would take my two tape recorders and I would record myself playing one instrument. Then I would go back and play another instrument over it – I was multi-tracking by the time I was 10-years-old, I just didn’t realize what I was doing,” Cook said. “Some of the guys my parents had around took me under their wing and would get me on stage with them from an early age. My first paying gig was at 14-years-old.”

Cook credits a higher power for granting him with inspiration for many of his songs.

“Sometimes a song will just flow out of me. I don’t think I’m responsible for it, there is a higher being that really helps me out and gives me ideas. That’s why I like driving, because it’s just me alone with my mind wide open – thank God I haven’t run over anybody yet.” he said. “I write about true life experiences. If I see something in life that I think everybody can relate to, I’ll write a song about it. One of my favorite songs to sing and play is called Plan B, because everybody has got to have a Plan B.”

Cook’s CDs can be purchased from his Web site, www.grantcook.com, and his songs can be downloaded from www.walmart.com for 88 cents each. Cook receives six cents each time one of his songs is used on television, radio or is downloaded.

“To be honest with you, CD sales don’t matter to me. I’d be willing to record and give away all my music because it would increase how far my music could spread,” Cook said. “The happiest I could be is to drive three hours in one direction and to have people in the crowd lip synching to my songs. To have my ideas and my words spread so far is powerful. I’m nothing, I’m a nobody, but to connect with people from so far away is just powerful. I’m getting chills just thinking about it – that’s how much my music means to me.”

     

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