About Jesse Dayton
Why country music ?
~ I grew up in a rural area of southeast Texas on the Louisiana border & heard lots of country music, as well as zydeco and rhythm & blues. I have a thick Texas accent & George Jones is from my hometown so country music feels natural.
If everything would be possible (waking the dead included) , which two people should sing the ultimate country duet?
~ Love to sing with lots of folks. Tammy Wynette would’ve been great. Love KD Langs voice. I made a really cool country duet record with a powerhouse singer from Austin named Brennen Leigh. She’s amazing!
What song you ever recorded means the most to you and why?
~ There’s been a lot of songs I’ve recorded over the years that literally helped me get through whatever I was struggling with. My song Mrs Victoria on my new record always chokes me up. Recording “I never cared for you” with Waylon Jennings was pretty emotional. There’s a lot of them!
Who would you like to write a song for you?
~ Writers are my favorite out of all musicians. Without a good song what’s the point? I love for Jimmy Webb or the late great Townes Van Zant,(while we’re dreaming! ha), or Willie Nelson or even Springsteen!
What is the one thing that readers/fans would be surprised to know about you?
~ The one thing readers would be surprised about me would be that I’m into meditation and always have a great book going. It’s a noisy world, so quieting my mind is of the upmost importance. Getting away from thinking about yourself makes you better when you return!
Give us one country song you never want to hear on radio anymore and tell us why.
~ There’s a lot of country songs I never wanna hear again! Lol Theres a lot of new corporate country radio music drives me nuts! I can’t tell the singers apart anymore, the songs are silly & the production sounds like bad 80’s hair metal ballads! Help!
What is the question interviewers never seem to ask you and…you wish they would? (Please provide your answer as well.)
~ Interviewers never ask me about my band. I have a rhythm section…Chris Rhoades on bass & Kevin Charney on drums who’ve been with me for awhile now and they’re just amazing. They can play any style with total authenticity and vibe…great musicians!
Describe the ultimate recording studio (not the technique but the facilities)
~ I’ve recorded with Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Ray Price….played guitar on their records when I was younger. Hard to beat those sessions! My fav studios are little funky ones but I’ve worked at almost all the big studios around!
Are you still nervous before going on stage and if so, do you use any “rituals” to calm you nerves.
~ I don’t get nervous before a show. I was born to do this. The bigger the crowd, the better I perform. Only time I’ve been nervous was before a big TV show in America called the David Letterman Show because I had watched it since I was a kid. But I’m fine with big crowds.
What was the most memorable day in your musical career and tell us why.
~ The most memorable day in my career? There’s been quite a few. Knocking on the door at Woodland studio in Nashville & Johnny Cash opened the door and said “come on in, we ready for you to play hoss” Making a movie with Rob Zombie was wild. Playing for Bill Clinton at his Inaugural Ball. Playing guitar with Glen Campbell. There have been a lot & I still can’t believe most it happened!
