"Some artists sing only because they want to or because it is something cool or fun to gain attention. It is a passing fad or hobby that they never fully dedicate themselves to. There are other artists that write songs and sing them because they must. It is not just a calling, it is a life they were destined to live. These acts have something to say and an original way to say it. Jackie Darlene is clearly and wholeheartedly in this latter category. Growing up in a musical family (her grandfather is legendary songwriter Whitey Shafer), music is something that came natural to Jackie.
However, what makes her truly special is her passion, desire and work ethic. Jackie is an old soul in a digital age. She embraces the future and showcases the past. Her life hasn't always been idyllic and she draws from her world experiences to inform her writing. Jackie has a knack for capturing the emotional rollercoaster of joy and pain that everyone faces in life and matches it with lyrics and melodies that belie her age.
A troubadour with wanderlust and an eye for emotional detail, Jackie has been writing songs since she was old enough to hold a pen. Her voice is a powerful, multi-range instrument that features a soulful rasp and heart-tugging warmth. She's been traveling to sing her songs for folks since before she could legally drive. Jackie's passion to share her songs is so strong that she regularly busks and is often grinding so hard that she finds herself scraping loose change together to make it to the next gig. She is fully dedicated to being a musician and her non-stop woodshedding, often featuring eight hour practice sessions, has developed her into an exciting talent with an emerging fan base across Texas and beyond.
In the fall of 2015, Jackie cut some acoustic demos at the Compound recording studio in Stephenville, TX which were released to the public in the spring of 2016 as her first official release. She's heading back into the studio in the summer of 2016 to lay down her first full length album at Melody Mountain Studios (formerly Boyd Street Studios). Tracks from the acoustic demo are already gaining attention and radio play from around the region. With a booking calendar that is quickly filling up and spots at several high profile festivals, this Texas original has the world in front of her and the determination to see it all."
-Brad Beheler
(Galleywinter)
