Walking into the Coffee Bar in northwest Reno, Jake Jacobson, a country music artist and self-described crooner, is enjoying some much-needed downtime. As he enjoys a cup of black coffee, with his mirrored sunglasses and baseball cap on, it does not seem like he’s in the midst of performance season.
Jacobson, 26, has had a love for music since he was a young boy. From his parents singing “Neon Moon” at bedtime, to singing the same song with his father’s band since he was four, he’s now the one on center stage, following his passion for music, trying to make a name for himself in Nashville.
On his website he writes, “with roots in Reno, Nevada and an upbringing in a Northern California ranching town of 2,000 people, Jacobson finds himself drawn to the stories and lifestyles of the unique characters intersecting his life. And those are precisely the people and places that jump from the speakers on his latest work, the four-song EP Reno.”
During the recent coffee interview, Jacobson explained how his determination, work ethic, upbringing and relationships have been a successful formula.
“I was on Team USA Gymnastics for a long time,” he says. “When I was at the height of my career [during high school], music was the stress release.”
Jacobson says being away from home for long periods of time for competitions in high school prepared him for the life he is currently living.
“Staying motivated is a little bit easier for me than most, I would say, because I know what it takes to be successful at an elite level in something,” he said.
Jacobson is not currently signed with a record label, but has already released eight songs. “Everything that we [he and his band] come by comes from the grind of hard touring,” he says.
He fully owns his songs, but it can cost him up to $6,000 to produce each of these.
“It takes about a million streams to make back what you made,” he says of the current music economy.
Photo provided by Jake Jacobson with permission to use.
While developing his social media following, Jacobson has also turned to several more experienced musicians who have become mentors, like Randall King and Cody Johnson.
“Randall’s about the closest thing that I’ve ever had to a big brother,” Jacobson says.
King was the first to invite him to the country music capital. In Nashville, Jacobson has acquired a publishing deal as a staff songwriter, allowing him to travel there a week or more every other month, schedule permitting.
His advice for other young artists is to “listen and take in everything that you can. Be a sponge.”
As he prepares to leave Reno again, Jacobson expresses his love for the Biggest Little City and mentions the Reno Rodeo has been one of his favorite venues to perform.
“Well that tank is full of diesel and that truck's already pointed out the drive. Even though you’re tryin to hide it girl I see the same ol sadness in your eyes. Don’t it seem like goodbye always goes this way. And baby you know I’d really love to stay. But that tank is full of diesel and that truck's already pointed out the drive,” he sings in one of his most popular tracks Rollin’ Stone.