When one thinks of Los Angeles’ music scene, the genre of country music may be the furthest from one’s mind; a possible far third behind rock and rap. But country singer-songwriter Jake Parr proves that theory incorrect. Surrounded by country music and his love of the outdoors, Parr is a true blue country boy at heart. In 2016, he released his self-titled EP, which earned him a spot opening up for Lee Brice. Now the California native is back with his debut single “Barn Dance,” an upbeat track showcasing his mix of country, southern rock and classic rock.
We caught up with Jake to talk about his upbringing in LA, which artists have inspired him, his debut single and more.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
JP: Ya! Well, I’m 26 years old I live in SoCal, Los Angeles to be exact. I love being outdoors, some of my favorite things to do are; surfing, fishing, hunting, golfing, playing poker, and pretty much anything else outside. The bonus of living in SoCal is the weather is always sunny and you can be outdoors 365 days a year. On the weekends, I spend a lot of time on my boat in the ocean. If I’m not doing that, I’m either hanging with friends watching sports or playing my guitar.
CN: With everything that’s going on in the world in regards to COVID-19, we hope everyone in your circle is safe and healthy. How are you holding up?
JP: I’m holding up just fine. Very blessed that everyone in my circle is healthy, even those who have had this thing. It definitely put a damper on a lot of things like playing live shows and going to bars etc. I’m counting down the days until this all just goes away and we can go back to socializing and performing live shows for my fans.
CN: Born and raised in Los Angeles – home of some of rock and rap’s biggest names like Guns ‘N’ Roses, Motley Crüe, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and so on – what was it like growing up being a country music fan? Was country popular amongst your friends?
JP: It’s funny I hear this a lot! A little known fact is that country music is actually the most popular genre in my area. We have several country bars in the area and having festivals like Stagecoach which is only a couple of hour’s drive from the city. That’s the one thing I love and admire about the genre of country, it is pretty much everywhere!
CN: Which musicians, country or not, have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
JP: I’ve always been a big sucker for harmonies. Little Big Town are masters at it and I love everything they write about. I also am a big Luke Combs fan! I love watching him perform and take a lot of notes and try to implement certain things he does into my own performances. He is just so relaxed and gets the crowd so pumped while being laid back with a solo cup in his hand most of the show.
CN: First song you heard that clicked and made you realize you wanted to be a country artist?
JP: Hands down, “Raining on Sunday” by Keith Urban. My mom used to get so frustrated because I would play that song over and over and sing the harmonies behind Keith. I knew I wanted to be like him someday. (Check out Jake’s cover below)
CN: What was the first album you ever owned?
JP: It was No Fences, Garth Brooks.
CN: Can you take us through your songwriting process? In what ways has the current COVID-19 situation affected your craft? Has it provided or stunted inspiration?
JP: Songwriting for me is ever-changing. Sometimes I wake up with an idea for a song and 5 minutes later it’s on paper. Sometimes I hear someone say something and I write it down on my phone and then go home and write it. Sometimes though, I get stuck on an idea for months until finally it comes together and fits into a song. Covid definitely halted some inspiration being that we were stuck inside as I get a lot of inspiration from being out in the world but I was able to work on my guitar playing and do a lot of vocal exercises.
CN: In September you released your single “Barn Dance.” What was the inspiration behind the track?
JP: “Barn Dance” kinda wrote itself. My friends and I have been going line dancing at our local country bar for years and when we weren’t there, we were at our friend’s barn that has a dance floor in it doing the same thing, so the song was just an ode to those nights dancing and having some drinks with friends.
CN: The single was mastered by producing legend, Michael Llyod, who has worked with the likes of The Supremes, Barry Manilow and many others. Can you tell us what it was like to work with him?
JP: Working with Michael is amazing! He has so much knowledge and his intuition blows me away. Sometimes he will throw these ideas at me that I don’t agree with right away but he just says, “trust me” and he’s always right as it turns out better than I ever imagined. Also singing in his studio where so many greats have recorded is almost spiritual to me. You can feel the history just being in there – it’s really awesome!
CN: Recently you released the music video for “Barn Dance.” Can you share some behind the scenes info about the video?
JP: Making this video was super fun! The location was actually the place that my friends and I spend a lot of time dancing, and hanging out. It was such a great experience to have my friends and family actually be in the video… It felt like hanging out with all my favorite people but we were making a music video. I think the funniest part of the video was trying to hide the alcohol from the landowners. We all kept sneaking off to my truck to drink and nobody knew that the majority of us were feelin pretty good the whole time.
CN: What was the first concert you attended?
JP: The first one I can remember was a Garth Brooks concert when I was really little.
CN: If you were able to collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
JP: Definitely, Lee Brice, he’s awesome. I actually got to open for him and it was the GREATEST day of my life! After my set, he asked me to sing one of his songs on stage with him in front of thousands of people!! It was a night I will never forget.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
JP: Adventurous. I’m super spontaneous and always up for any kind of adventure. Anyone who knows me would definitely say the same thing
CN: What’s next on the horizon for you? Any new music on the way?
JP: Fans can expect a lot more from us for the remainder of the year and even more next year! We have been working really hard on our new music and getting everything perfected and ready for release. We are going to be releasing a new song and music video in November – I’m so excited to share it with everyone! I’m even MORE excited about hitting the road again and getting to interact with my fans at shows once restrictions are lifted!
And, Jake will be taking over The Country Note’s Instagram on Wednesday, November 11th!
Listen to “Barn Dance” on Spotify here.
For more information on Jake Parr, visit his website at jakeparrofficial.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.