Jackie Venson

One Liner: Austin blues rocker with a killer guitar.

Wikipedia Genre: Rock, blues, soul
Home:  Austin

Poster Position: 23
Day: Saturday at 12:45
Weekend One Only.

Thoughts: The first thought I had about her songs was that she was raw.  I thought she probably was from Austin, because her production sounded like she was being recorded in a bedroom studio down in South Austin somewhere.  Then I listened to her 2014 album, The Light in Me, and the first few songs are much better sounding.  Some real deal guitar work and a strong voice - kind of like a Gary Clark Jr.-lite.  After I wrote that ( I swear) I read Wikipedia saying that the Austin American Statesman had called her “a Gary Clark Jr.-level talent who speaks boldly through her guitar."  I mean, lets not get carried away here guys.

"What I Need" is the strongest tune in my opinion - but with only 7k streams I'm not able to present you with a video link to listen to.  So, here is her most popular track (by a mile), "Flying" with 91k streams.

Hear what I mean?  Sounds like she recorded it at home with her phone attached to a mike.  Not a bad tune, but I've played it a few times and am just not seeing anything exciting other than the great guitar solos.  The rest is pretty basic and a little boring.  

That being said, here are a few interesting anecdotes about her:

• Attended Berklee College of Music
• Allergic to weed
• Austin City Hall declared May 21, 2014 Jackie Venson Day.  Take that Paul McCartney, I bet Austin doesn't have a Sir Paul day!

Only one album - 2014's The Light in Me - and then two EPs - 2017's Transcends and 2013's Rollin' On.  Well, there is also a live album, but it is up and down in terms of quality.  Her second most listened to track (almost everything in here is under 10k streams) is called "Mysterious," but honestly, I think you should just listen to the guitar work on this YouTube video instead - much more interesting.

Tune is called "Rollin' On," which is on a 2013 EP available on Spotify, but leave the lyrics and the rest of the band behind, that one is all about the slick Texas blues guitar work she is doing right there.  Pretty sweet.  That solo in the middle is choice, grade A prime.  So are the crowd shots of the white people dancing to the music.  Hell yeah, gimme more awkward white man overbite all day.

Based on the albums, I was likely going to say I wouldn't go give this a chance, but after that live video, I might just go check it out and see her shred in person.