Musical seeds have been planted in Jason Morton’s tree of life since the childhood days of summer spent at his grandmother’s house in Western Maryland. At the tender age of four, he was tickling the ivories on Grandma’s baby grand piano with her standing behind him. By the time he was a preteen, he was taking acoustic guitar lessons thanks to his mother, and as the 90s grunge sound of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden took off, so did Morton’s fascination with the electric guitar. But it was his first Skynard song while sitting on the living floor spinning his dad’s old records that possessed Morton with the spell of Southern Rock.
“It was nothing like I had ever heard before,” Morton told The Country Note. “Southern rock is so soulful and melodic and it just captured me.”
And in 2018, it seems to have captured the half Maryland, half Tennessee resident more than ever. Morton’s band, Jason Morton and the Chesapeake Sons, released their self titled debut album on November 3, 2017 under Copperline Records, a division of Morton’s longtime management firm, Harmon Management based out of Nashville, TN.
Although label changes and other setbacks caused the completion of the record to take two years, it is well worth the wait. The band’s producer, Will Edwards, is described by Morton as a “half Cuban dude from Miami” that’s worked on all these Latin albums yet due to his being the godson of famed producer Tom Dowd (Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton), “he’s got this whole Southern Rock edginess.”
The influence of both backgrounds can be felt especially in the song “Matacumbe,” named after one of the Florida Keys. Think James Taylor mixed with a little Shooter Jennings puckered into a perfect UB40 “saltwater kiss.”
“What I really like about Will is that he doesn’t care if the song is two minutes or eight. He’s not trying to appeal to radio or certain audiences. He just wants to write and produce the best material and however it comes out, whatever it feels like naturally. . . well, that’s what we’re gonna go with,“ Morton explains.
Lucky for the band, the first song they wrote for the record (which also happens to be eight minutes long), appeals to the mass audiences and is quickly becoming a fan and band favorite. “Southern Sound” will have everyone rolling down the windows this summer, cruising down a back road with the breeze blowing thru their hair. If you can drop the windows (and doors) all together for a Harley, even better! And if you ‘re really looking for a good motorcycle song, check out the catchy and heavily influenced Allman Brothers leadoff single, “Ride All Night.” Maybe late 80s hair bands are your thing; Morton and the Chesapeake Sons light a Bon Jovi “Blaze of Glory” flair with “The Things I’ve Done” that’s sure to have you tasting the dust as it settles during a hot Western sunset.
As much as you can pick up the vibes of artists like Waylon Jennings, CCR, and Marshall Tucker, Jason Morton and the Chesapeake Sons don’t let anyone from the past overshadow their future. They have a way of making that traditional sound current, without losing the timeless appeal.
“Just like anything else, music trends repeat themselves. It’s a good time to be playing Southern Rock—it’s coming back around again! Thank God for Chris Stapleton,” shares Morton, “who got our foot in the door and paved the way for organic, rootsy music to be played on radio that’s not super pop country. Southern rock is still as embraced by country fans as it is rock fans. Skynard . . . Allman Brothers. . . Marshall Tucker. . . they weren’t trying to put themselves in a box.”
Cleary, neither is this crew. Throughout his career, Morton has shared the stage with the likes of Shooter Jennings, Eric Church, and Kid Rock.
“We opened up for Eric Church back in 2008 when he had maybe 5 or 600 people. But he put on such a kick ass show even then. He’s one of those guys that even if the label dropped him today, he would still be selling out shows because his fans are so loyal. “
And then there’s the ultimate rockers, ZZ Top, who had Morton and his musical co horts open for them at the Baltimore Arena about ten years ago.
“Favorite artist without hesitation,” laughs Morton on the other end of the line. “For three guys to sound like there were six people on stage. . .absolutely incredible. There is something about their persona and the way they carry themselves. I have learned that as much as I love to jump around, it’s not always about being flashy. I always read how a crowd reacts to performers and they were so captivated by them. . so cool how they can just stand there and be completely bad ass.”
So who’s on the bucket list for Morton and the Chesapeake Sons when it comes to stage sharing?
“Probably Stapleton or Sturgill Simpson. Definitely Sturgill because he’s such an outlaw. Or Church again. I feel like you could light a guitar on stage and they would think it’s killer and not be mad!” chuckles Morton. And as far as festivals go, Morton has his sights set on Bonaroo and Stagecoach in the near future.
If they keep doing what they’re doing, we’re pretty sure they’re going to accomplish most of those goals, if not all of them, within the next few years! Jason Morton and the Cheaspeake spend most of their time rocking up and down the East Coast as well as the Mid Atlantic, but they are hoping to add some dates out West in the next little while. So when they come, you better get ready for that funky, soulful, country rock blues sound to turn your night upside down!
For more on Jason Morton and the Chesapeake Sons, check out www.iamjasonmorton.com and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @iamjasonmorton.