‘Catch of the Day’ – Jade Jackson – “Finish Line” [AUDIO]

It's our favorite day of the week, Thursday, the day we get to present another of Nashville's unpolished gems, unsigned or indy label artists you may not have heard of. Today we bring you an artist born and raised in central California, who's incredible sound and haunting, insightful lyrics belie her age.

Jade Jackson grew up in the small, central California seaside town of Santa Margarita, working in her parent's restaurant and working on her music during breaks. She would go away to college to study music more formerly, but it was a natural depth and intensity that always shone through and made everyone that heard her play believe in her dream. Born with a natural ability that was nurtured growing up in a household where everything from Cash to The Cure could be heard, Jackson's talent developed naturally from an early age.

Boredom led her to learn to play the guitar at age 12. Raised by parents who shied away from technology, she didn't have the internet, and having moved to Santa Margarita as she entered her teen years, she didn't have a lot of friends, it led Jade to find her own escape, her ability to create stories. What intrigued her the most was watching people react to the stories, the poetry she created. She continued writing, using anything she could as her tablet. In high school, a local newspaper featured her, and when asked how many songs she had written, she counted them, and her total had climbed at that point to 375.

Jackson continued to write, and as she did, she found the quality of her work grew as well as the quantity. Her hard work and the willingness to challenge herself had paid off. It was at this point that music became more than just an escape for her. After going to her first concert, she decided that she wanted to be that person on stage, sharing her music with the world. She began playing regularly at a local coffee shop. She got the chance to open for another local musician and connected with a live audience. Her audiences began to grow\, and by the time she graduated high school, she had built such an impressive catalog, that she was accepted into the formal music studies at California Institute of the Arts, where she learned to hone her skills and expand her talent.

After leaving Cal Arts, Jackson put together, along with her mentor and producer Mike Ness, a band that has been with her during her progression. They built a template for what would become her debut album Gilded, picking songs from Jackson's catalog they felt best fit the vision for Jackson's introduction. The lead single from that album is in our spotlight today.

Brought to you by All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, Jade Jackson and "Finish Line" is today's Unsigned/Indy Artist Thursday Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again. And if you comment, like or share our feature, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, bringing you new music every day, the Catch of the Day on Oklahoma's Best Country, KLAW101.