An Arkansas native putting down roots in Los Angeles with his young family, Jake Scott is a consummate multitasker. The singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist balances a love for creating music and sharing it with live audiences with a strong desire to stay connected to the people and things he loves most.
“I try to stay grounded on the road, and connect with myself, connect with my family,” he says. “I also try hard to make the time that I am on the road and away from family as productive as I possibly can make it. I have this moment in time where I don’t have many distractions and I can be fully invested in my creative process, and my music. Writing about my life brings me closer to the things I care about the most.”
Juggling those at-times dueling commitments has honed Jake’s ability to make sense of complex emotions through music. “What I hope to do with music is to put words to things we all feel but sometimes can’t articulate,” he says. “To me, that’s when I’ve done my job well.”
For Jake, the allure of touring and playing live shows is rooted in the opportunity to connect with other people over something he loves so much. “I’ve spent so much time with the music alone and I don’t get to experience other people experiencing the song until we’re all in a room together,” he says. “These songs I literally write sometimes in my bedroom—and then all of a sudden, six months later in a room across the world, people are singing that same line back to me. It’s something I will always be grateful for.”
Jake’s penchant for honest, heartfelt storytelling comes through in two of his most-loved songs: “California Rain” and “Green Eyes.” After a day of cruising around San Diego in the Toyota Camry XSE and exploring the lush backdrop of Balboa Park, he takes to the stage at Music Box in the Little Italy neighborhood to play them live.
Sounds of the Road features intimate musical performances and interviews with some of the country’s most exciting new artists. In Season 5, we hit the iconic beach town of San Diego with singer-songwriter Jake Scott, joyful indie-pop trio Echosmith, and bluesy rockers The Record Company.
