“I grew up in a really tight-knit community. Bakersfield isn’t necessarily a small town; however, it definitely has that energy. A lot of folks never leave, and this song is really based around that feeling of being trapped by your hometown,” says up-and-coming artist Jake Neuman about his hometown.
Yeah, good ol’ Bakersfield is renowned for its country music scene seventy-so years ago that called Merle Haggard and Buck Owens pioneers, yet it’s nice to hear a new name from the California desert. Although he’s now a Nashville resident, somehow, Bakersfield sounds more glamorous when describing the background of this 25-year-old.
Neuman’s vocals are built of an authoritative rasp that sounds years beyond his quarter-century on the planet. When hearing his potent song approach, the names of Jason Isbell and Zach Bryan come to mind, while his band, The Jaybird, certainly reflects the creative workmanship of the 400 Unit.
Through social media and live performances, he has built a loyal following, catching the attention of New York City-based artist and producer Gregory Dwane Griffith. The two met at Americana Fest 2022 and hit it off, leading to the production of Neuman’s debut EP, Little Bitty Town, at Griffith’s Peacedale Records and Studio based in Connecticut.