Search - Nathan Lee Jackson :: Complicated Hearts

Mecca for aspiring singer-songwriters of all brands and bents, Nashville attracts talented young men like Nathan Lee Jackson every day. Every day they roll into town with a beat-up guitar and dreams of stardom.
Yet it is not every day not by a long shot that an unknown young artist and one of rock music s most leg endary producers find inspiration in one another, using their musical symbiosis to create a timeless country- rock sound. And that is exactly what happened when Jeff Glixman, the famed producer of 1970 s progressive rock band Kansas, whose projects boast combined record sales of over 30 million units, invited Nathan Lee Jackson to make an album at his and partner Jim Gentile s StarCity Recording Company in Bethlehem, PA.

Jackson thrived under the guidance and encouragement of Glixman. The pair created a collection of songs that reflect all of Nathan Lee Jackson s musical roots and branches, bridging effortlessly from his country- rock core on songs like Small Town Rain, Carolina, and Desperate Man, to the a cappella hymn, Store Up Your Treasures in Heaven, and the Hoagy Carmichael-esque Kentucky Breeze. With what would become a rich baritone honed on hymns sung on the front porch with Grandma, and a grounding in classic country picked up singing with central Kentucky s jamboree bands, Nathan Lee Jackson developed an eclectic sensibility that's brightly reflected in his debut album, Complicated Hearts .

Hailing from Winchester, in the heart of Kentucky bluegrass country, Nathan Lee Jackson came of age during country music s new wave of the late 80 s and early 90 s. The Jackson family wore out cassettes like Garth Brooks s Ropin The Wind and the Alabama classic American Pride. Jackson was also exposed to a tasty hash of oldies and Motown on Dad s favorite radio station and contemporary Christian songs in church. Having recognized his calling in music, Jackson began writing songs as a young teenager and made the move to Nashville shortly after his high school graduation. Music City is a writer s paradise and Jackson developed his songwriting talent during these years, looking inward for inspiration. I only want to write what s in my heart, he explains. I m a Christian and I m from a small town, and so I try to make sure that my lyrics reflect that. Both of my parents were from rural Kentucky families, so I try not to forget where I came from. I have a strong desire to give people hope, so I want that to come across as well.

Nathan Lee Jackson plays piano on the recording and had a hand in writing each of the 13 songs on the
album, including the upbeat lead single Small Town Rain. We
didn t really worry about what kind of album we wanted to make, Jackson says. We just wanted to make magic the kind of album we d still love listening to in thirty years.