Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Hook
Hi Jordan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started writing poetry early in high school with support from an English teacher who really encouraged me. It was the first time I felt free to express myself. I’ve always been musical (church choir and Houston Children’s Chorus, saxophone in junior high band), but it wasn’t until I started playing guitar in high school that I fell in love with making music. It took awhile for me to put the two together, but when I started combining original words with my music sometime after college it was fulfilling, but incredibly intimidating. I had never shared my poetry with anyone, so the idea of airing my vulnerabilities through songs was more than I could handle. My friends and family encouraged me to play more of my originals and I started getting small winery gigs and playing local bars. I realized I really enjoyed being on stage and playing music, even though I was still self-conscious about my original songs. Flash forward about 10 years and now I front my own original country band that plays mostly songs that I’ve written and only a few covers. It’s still scary to play something that I’ve written for strangers, but I’ve learned that it’s the only way to make a real connection with people and make fans. They might like a cover and dance along, but when they ask about a lyric I wrote, or they want to tell me their interpretation of a song, that is the best feeling in the world. It means they see some of themselves and their life in my music.
I also play in a couple traditional string bands around town doing shows and square dances from community centers to Hollywood clubs. There is a great community of musicians here playing country, Americana, and string band music.
I also started a community platform called RootsAndBootsLA. I have a website (rootsandbootsla.com) with a Country Calendar that shows all the concerts and events happening around town in our scene, I curate a Spotify playlist of local artists and artists that tour here regularly, I send out a monthly newsletter and do ticket giveaways and also manage an Instagram page that posts videos from local shows as well as announcements of upcoming shows. I started booking and promoting shows this year under RootsAndBootsLA as well. We have such a vibrant and talented group of artists doing amazing things in LA, and I think everyone needs to know about it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The hardest part has been getting real with your expectations. Everything you do will involve sacrifice on some level, so being honest with what you are willing to put in and willing give up to get what you want is a conversation that more folks should have with themselves but don’t. The disconnect with these elements is what creates a lot of burnout, depression, anxiety, and other issues that plague artists. Be real with what you want. Is it a sense of community and belonging? Is it to be famous? Is it to be a really good musician/songwriter/respected artist or creative? Is it to make money? There are no wrong answers, but there are different paths to be successful in each of these endeavors. If you are putting all your efforts into going down one path, but what you really want is something different, you’re gonna be banging your head against the wall asking “why am I not happy” and “why am I not where I want to be?”. Once you know what you really want, what will really make you happy, then you just bust your ass to make that a reality. So to answer the question, it hasn’t been a smooth road, but the struggles I would classify more as “growing pains” that you must go through as an artist and as a person trying to figure out what you want to get out of life and music.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a singer/songwriter, bandleader, community organizer, promoter and booker. I am a resource for the country/Americana/stringband scene in Los Angeles through my platform RootsAndBootsLA and not only play music myself but help bring together artists, promotors, venues and event coordinators to create fun country/Americana shows and special events. I’m proud of hosting the only Country Calendar in Los Angeles where you can go to find the best country, Americana, and bluegrass events happening around town. I specialize in promoting small, independent and up-and-coming artists that you can be proud to say you saw before they got big!
What sets me apart is that I have one foot in the scene as an artist through my country band and one foot in as a promoter/booker on the business side. This experience is unique, as most folks are on one side or the other.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Figure out the people that are doing what you want at a level higher than you are doing it at. Surround yourself with those people, driven people, talented people. It will rub off on you and it’s the only way to push yourself to be better. Never be the big fish in a small pond. If you’re the most talented or hardest-working person in your circle, find another circle.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jordanhookmusic.com and www.rootsandbootsla.com
- Instagram: @jordanhookmusic and @rootsandbootsla
- Youtube: @jordanhookmusic
Image Credits
Smiling shot with electric guitar: Circles of Sound
Shot with Dog: Grant Aumiller
Shot of brown jacket looking down with guitar: Justin Daniels
Profile pic of me in Gray jacket and me against pink wall : Michel Louis
