Photographed at TidalWave Festival (2023) | Photo by Devyn King / DevynKing.com
Introduction
Whether you’re looking to dive into country music for the first time, or just looking for a new face to check out, singer-songwriter Jake Worthington is a breath of fresh air and a name that you can fully trust to lead you in the right direction.
The 29 year old La Porte, Texas native has been paving his own way and keeping it country his entire life. With his musical influence originating from his grandfather’s front porch picking, Jake learned early on about the history of the genre and formed a deep-rooted passion for traditional country music. Between his rich, baritone vocals and honest songwriting, he stands as a prime example of authenticity in an era where so many artists cling to manufactured personas.
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We’ve been following Jake since the early days of his career. From seeing him in bars and dance halls, to sharing bigger stages with industry giants like Cody Johnson, Hank Williams Jr., Miranda Lambert & many more, he’s been the same honky tonkin’ badass since the jump. Anyone who has been watching Jake since the beginning knows that he’s been a ticking time bomb waiting to blow up and impact the industry on a much bigger scale. The kind of impact that label powerhouse Big Loud Records noticed when they signed him to a record deal in late 2021, characterizing him as “an authentic country vocal that shines like neon.”
Big Loud investing in an artist of Jake’s caliber at that time was a foreshadowing of what is playing out to be true: Traditional country music making its way back into a bigger spotlight. Many years later, Jake’s growing catalog, including features with some of country’s biggest names like Brooks & Dunn, has proved that his addition to the Big Loud family was far from a risk, and certainly a well-timed investment in the heart of the genre.
In Spring of 2023, Worthington released his self-titled debut album, which includes 13 stone-cold country tunes including fan favorite “State You Left Me In“, which features an intense amount of crying steel guitar played by Paul Franklin and a key change that showcases his vocal ability. The quality and attention to detail in the album further cemented his place as one of the best voices in country music. Having co-written 12 out of the 13 songs, Worthington also displays that he is heavily involved in the writing process, while surrounding himself with writers who really understand his sound.
A Masterclass In Authenticity
With Jake, what you see is truly what you get. But what a lot of folks don’t see are the raw emotions involved in staying true to who you are. Jake opened up about some of the common struggles revolving around staying authentic, stating:
“I think it goes for any of us folks making records to struggle with the belief in ourselves. I think it’s natural. However, when we’re writing the songs and recording them, I think it’s important for decisions to be made based on gut instinct. For instance, I think someone should only do what moves them. Whether that be in the box or outside of that so-called box, as long as it moves them. I guess I’m sorta a hippie in that way. I also think that authenticity is solely decided by the listener. The folks making records can try to be something, or they can be themselves. The listener ultimately gets to decide to believe you or not. So I reckon it’s important to believe in yourself, and the only way that I can accomplish that is by making records the way that I want to make them. And that’s a different trail that each and every one of us gotta take.”
Putting out new music into the world may seem like an easy transition from an outsider’s perspective, but to an artist, it has everything to do with their identity and how they’re perceived. The music business is a straight up grind, and comes with many highs and many lows. When the wheels don’t turn as fast as you would like them to at times, that’s when those negative emotions start to creep up — and the only way to weather the storm is to stay true to who you are, and commit to the vision of who you want to be. Jake is one of those artists who has happily taken that long way around, and it’s paying off. The level of success that he is achieving has been EARNED, and couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy.
It’s no secret that the life of an entertainer is challenging, but having the right people in your corner makes a world of difference. For Worthington, one of the influences that he gives massive credit to is Roger Springer. Springer is responsible for writing some of country music’s greatest songs, and has been a friend and writing partner to Worthington for many years. Springer himself had songwriting credits on 9 out of 13 songs on Worthington’s debut major label album, and to no surprise, he put on a clinic. We’ll continue to cover Springer’s impact on the genre in the next couple episodes.
Apart from Springer, Worthington also credits much of his inspiration to the late Whitey Shafer. Shafer, a fellow Texan like Worthington, passed away back in 2019, but left an incredible catalog of timeless hits like “All My Exes Live in Texas”, “I Wonder Do You Think Of Me”, and so many more.
Not only is Worthington a force to be reckoned with in the studio, but the quality of his live show is off the charts. Whether it’s an original track or cover, he consistently delivers with organic energy and leaves an impression that this way of life is in his blood. One social media commenter on YouTube recalled a time when Worthington faced a concert cancellation, and still gave a full acoustic performance to fans, which is a true testament to his character and willingness to deliver for his fans.
Let’s face it – The fact that Jake isn’t one of the biggest artists in the world is a simply a crime. Whether you pick up on bits and pieces of Jones, Haggard, Singletary, Diffie or Chesnutt, Worthington’s voice is unique and undeniably his own. He continues to offer so much familiarity while still undeniably being himself, which is what we all crave.
Forecasting the Future: 2025 & Onward
Since his addition to the Big Loud family in 2021, Jake has since moved to Big Loud Texas; a subsidiary of Big Loud which was founded by fellow Texans and industry giants, Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall, with the objective of developing Texas-based artists. In 2025 and beyond, we see Jake’s move to Big Loud Texas playing a pivotal roll in his career by further honing in on his Texas identity for his next upcoming album.
Recently, Worthington took to the stage with fellow traditionalist and touring mate for 2025 Zach Top, for a lethal performance of Alan Jackson & George Strait’s “Murder on Music Row” at The Ryman, in which Top called out Nashville’s recent history of betrayal to the roots of the genre. From the reaction to Top speaking his mind on the state of country music, and the invitation of Worthington to perform alongside him, a statement was made that many country fans are tired of the state of the industry and ready for change.
When it comes to teasing unreleased tunes like “King of The World” and “I Only Drink When It Rains” (Seen below), there’s no question that Jake’s next collection of work is going to be revolutionary and continue carrying the genre in the right direction.
You can listen to Jake anywhere music is streamed, and be sure to check out his new song “I’m The One” featuring the great Marty Stuart, on March 14th. You can CLICK HERE to pre-save the song and set a reminder for when it’s released.
Worthington is our top watch for 2025 and onward, and we’re eager to see him on the road this summer.
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