‘Catch of the Day’ – Tony Jackson – “Old Porch Swing” [AUDIO]

Thursdays mean new artists around here, as we search out the top unsigned or indy label artist that Nashville has to offer. Today we give a listen to an artist that got a late break on music, mostly because of nomadic child hood, where his opportunity to be exposed to county music was limited at best.

Tony Jackson grew up in a military family, his father a Navy man whose assignments took the family across the globe. It was a base-to-base existence that found the family living in Spain for three years of Jackson's youth. While Jackson did manage to perform some in school activities, it wasn't until he joined the Marine Corp after graduating high school, that Jackson gained exposure to country music. And he took to it like a fish in water.

While Jackson was in the Marine Corp, he discovered his love of music, country music in general by listening to Armed Forces Radio. He had seen Randy Travis on a USO Tour while Jackson was living in Spain. He would play music in the barracks with other Marines, reminding themselves of home while they were far away. The music always stayed with Jackson, whether it was the Marines or the Fortune-500 world that Jackson found himself in, even if the real world tried to take him away from it.

A few weeks after George Jones passed away in 2013, Jackson and some friends went into a studio in Richmond, VA and recorded their version of "The Grand Tour", Jones' 1974 classic. The performance wound up on YouTube, and from there would garner enough of a response that Jackson would find himself booked on the Old Dominion Barn Dance, a Virginia based radio program similar to the Grand Ol Opry broadcasts.

His first performance on the program resulted in a standing ovation from the live audience, and led to him being offered a management contract from the show's producer, Donna Dean Stevens. Jackson first released an album as the lead singer of the Richmond, VA band Jackson Ward in 2015, an album that met with great acclaim. He put the group on hold in 2016 to begin preparing the next step in the journey of an artist who left behind a Fortune-500 career.

In March, Jackson's self-titled debut album was released, filled will tributes to artists George Jones and Bill Anderson, artists that influenced the road he traveled by Jackson. The album also features several song written or co-written by Jackson, including the song that is in our spotlight today. Brought to you by All American Super Car Wash of Lawton,Tony Jackson and "Old Porch Swing" 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.

Text today’s key word to 580 353-1013, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, presenting the Catch of the Day on Oklahoma’s Best Country KLAW101.

Today’s Key Word: “INDY"