Jackson Dean Takes Industry Members On Journey With New Project Preview

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Photo: Courtesy of Big Machine Records

Members of the music community came together in a cozy space nestled inside Big Machine Label Group (BMLG)’s A&R building yesterday (Aug. 27) to go on a journey with rising star Jackson Dean through a portion of his sophomore album, On The Back Of My Dreams, out Sept. 6.

With the new music, Dean led the group through a metaphorical version of the mountain range behind him on the album cover—beautifully displaying his ability to take listeners to different worlds by uniquely describing elements of the one they’re currently living in or previously lived in. We walked a section of  the collection’s lighter trail with “Real Real,” which he penned alongside producer Luke Dick and Josh Osborne, before making our way to the middle where the recently-released studio version of “Heavens To Betsy” lies. Written by the artist, Benjy Davis and Driver Williams, the single was the most-added at country radio upon its unveiling earlier this month.

“This song came from a flash in my own head a man sitting on the outskirts of heaven, trying to communicate with his daughter via a CB radio,” Dean shared. “It was never meant to be heard, we just wrote it to kill time on tour. But then I played it live and watched it bring a grown man to tears, and I’ve been playing it ever since.”

He and members of his team drove through a snow storm to Livingston, Montana to film its accompanying visual. Before showing us the video, Dean stated “This was coldest I’ve ever been in my entire life and probably the closest I’ll ever to get to living the scene that I dreamt.”

YouTube video

He then brought us to the darker side of the mountain and helped everyone to unpacked the heavier concepts we were now carrying. Dean described the inspiration his family provides for his craft and played “Daddy Raised,” which he, Tucker Beathard, Bryan Simpson and Ryan Tyndell created, along with its unreleased video, followed by “Sweet Appalachia,” a tune he wrote with Dick and Tyndell that draws from his home region.

“This entire record was created with the mindset that it would come out on the road with us and evolve,” Dean noted as he detailed the audience reactions its tracks had received thus far. We then explored the sacrifices that come with certain types of freedom with “Free,” which Dean penned with Dick and Blake Chaffin, and its unreleased visual.

“These [songs] are scores. Some are scores of picture frames, some are scores of life you’re trying to live. They’re not just for me, they’re for everyone that listens to it,” he said. “These songs are written in a way that allows listeners to see and feel what they need to. These are all little moments that they can put themselves into.”

Dean moved on to detail the “witchy little nursery rhyme” called “Jane.” Another number developed with Dick and Tyndell, the tune is where the project’s title is derived. We soon made our way to the end of the darker trail, and an wrapped our adventure with closing track “Another Century.” Written by Dean, Brian Koppelman and Jon Sherwood, its seeks to summarize the trip the album takes you on.

“When you hear it, picture it under the lights [of a live show]. There’s no feeling like it in the world.” he advised before expressing his gratitude.

Liza Anderson
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