Track and Video Starring Young Talent’s Dog, Elk, AVAILABLE NOW
NASHVILLE, TN (May 31, 2024) – Fast-rising vocalist Jackson Dean today releases a dreamy new track, “Big Blue Sky” (via Big Machine Records), inspired by his late/childhood dog, Carl. Letting his imagination run wild, Dean wrote the song, envisioning what it would have been like to come across Carl as a human—a mystifying dreamer with wisdom that only comes from living a lot of life—a man that leaves a lasting mark. “Big Blue Sky” is the first taste of the new music that once again brings Dean and producer Luke Dick together. Blending ethereal sounds and storytelling with the freedom-chasing spirit of “Don’t Come Lookin’” and the otherworldly daydreaming qualities of “Wings,” “Big Blue Sky” finds the young talent exploring a new plane of existence.
LISTEN TO “BIG BLUE SKY” HERE
“We had Carl since he could fit in the palm of my hand and I was thinking about him, all of the adventures we went on together and all the times he’d been there for me—he was just a damn good dog, and I wanted to write a song with a really big sound to really do his personality justice,” said Dean. “The inspiration may be a little bittersweet but there is a real joy to ‘Big Blue Sky’ and it fills my cup to watch the boys in the band absolutely tear it up on stage as a tip of the hat to Carl.”
Dean and his longtime bandmates/fellow Maryland natives (Brandon Aksteter, Rich Kolm, Sean Mercer), reminiscing on the legend that was Carl, wrote the song in the backseat of their old 12-passenger van, “Bernadette,” while heading down the highway to a gig. They played it for the first time and it has been a staple in their live set ever since.
WATCH VIDEO FOR “BIG BLUE SKY” HERE
The accompanying video, filmed outside Sheridan, WY near the Tongue River, features Dean and his rescue pup, Elk, taking in the otherworldly views (and below freezing temperatures) of the sweeping landscape. Named after being found near the Elk Lodge in East Nashville, Elk has become the young talent’s road companion, making him the obvious co-star to help honor the legend that came before him.
The song starts out with an ethereal acoustic vibe—the kind of soundtrack perfect for driving along a mountain highway with a dog, head out the window in the shotgun seat, basking in the fresh air. The song winds around curves and through the terrain with Dean’s strong gravelly vocals bellowing through the speakers. The song culminates with a soaring guitar solo that builds and builds until it reaches its peak, as if finally coming up over a ridge to reveal a gorgeous wide-open landscape that you can see for miles—finally reaching the heavens of the wild blue yonder.
The “Fearless (The Echo)” singer will kick off CMA Fest with an early morning performance at the Chevy Riverfront Stage on Thursday at 10:45am, then performing at Big Machine Label Group’s Pop Up at Bell Bottoms Up at 12:00pm. He will then head to Pennsylvania to open for Miranda Lambert, before returning Sunday to take the stage at Nissan Stadium for the CMA Fest special on ABC.
This summer, he will take his talents across the country as direct support for the GRAMMY® Award-winning ACM & CMA Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson on her Country Is Cool Again Tour. More information, including tour dates, can be found at https://www.jacksondean.com/.
ABOUT JACKSON DEAN:
Fast-rising singer/songwriter Jackson Dean is quickly earning a reputation for his old school, gritty, lyric-driven, outlaw style of Country following a breakout year that landed him on Pandora’s Ten for 2023 (all genre), Spotify’s Hot Country Artists to Watch 2023, Apple Music’s Country Risers, the CMT Listen Up class of 2023, CRS New Faces 2023, Amazon Music’s 2023 Breakthrough Artists to Watch: Country Class as well as a slew of other artist to watch lists. Mature beyond his years, Jackson opted to move out to a cinderblock, concrete floor, one-room shack on the back of his grandfather’s property with no heat and no plumbing at just 18 years old. An adventurous and carefree spirit, the 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist, is also an old soul and skilled artisan whose pastimes include making leather goods, wood-burned art and disappearing into the woods to sleep under the stars. Bringing that same sense of adventure and downhome vibe to his songwriting, the “modern-day Country rambler” ( Taste of Country) burst on the scene, showing people how real music can be with his atmospheric, musically-forward debut album Greenbroke (out now via Big Machine Records). The Maryland native’s single, “Don’t Come Lookin’ ” was the fastest debut to reach No. 1 in 2022 and cemented Jackson as the youngest solo male Country artist to reach the top of the charts with a debut. Landing spots on the Billboard Hot 100, the soundtrack for Netflix’s The Ice Road and a John Dutton scene in Yellowstone. The rugged music video for the track also earned a nomination at the 2023 CMT Music Awards for Breakthrough Male Video of the Year. His sophomore single, “Fearless (The Echo)” peaked at No. 7 on the Country radio charts and No. 1 on CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown. His Live From The Ryman album featuring fan favorite previously unreleased track “Heavens to Betsy ” is available now. Following an early career of local performances in his hometown, Jackson has joined bills with superstar acts like Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brantley Gilbert, Kane Brown, Jake Owen, Brooks & Dunn, Lee Brice, HARDY and Brothers Osborne and found himself on the bill for credible events like Austin City Limits and Stagecoach. The young talent recently wrapped big tours with Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, and Jon Pardi and is recently wrapped his first headlining tour (Head Full of Noise Tour) and is going on tour with Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson this summer.
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