Oregon-Born Songsmith Jackson Warner Releases Debut EP Reminiscent of Classic Americana Rock
I’ve gotta say, there is nothing that strikes me quite like the vibe of a dewy-eyed summer, which is exactly the vibe delivered from Oregon contemporary folk artist Jackson Warner’s debut EP The Scenic Route. With a masterfully candid approach to storytelling, paired delightfully with a sense of sweet nostalgia that drips from Warner’s classic acoustic riffs and rustic voice, The Scenic Route is a must-add for any road trip playlist.
The standout EP leads off with a wistful soliloquy that muses the painful idea of being brushed aside in death. Warner’s soothing acoustic guitar strikes the soul and softens the blow of his keenly crafted lyrics throughout Estate Sale. As you move through the record, you can really get a taste for Warner’s range in his songwriting. The upbeat and playful Trouble, along with the sweet telling of the fond recollection of youth and wonder in Sunbeams, both speak to Warner’s refined ability to deliver relatable stories to his listener, invoking a sense of familiarity, even with a song you haven’t ever heard before.
Maybe it’s the empathetic voice in which he writes that makes us feel like we’ve been listening to his music our whole lives, or maybe it’s the harkening to generations’ favorite songwriters like Paul Simon and John Cougar Mellencamp, but whatever it is, Warner’s music feels like the late afternoon sun and an August wind through your hair as you take a long drive with all the windows down on an old forest road to nowhere in particular.
“I want the listener to feel something or be moved when they listen to my music”
As anyone can tell you, that sense of being moved by an artist is truly what sets them apart. Diving into their own lived experiences and pulling from painful and treasured memories alike takes a catchy tune and transforms it into a touchstone of a listener’s music library.
“I’ve been writing songs since I was 11,” Warner shared with Gumberoo, “but [I] didn’t make an effort to share them with people until I turned 40 and realized I couldn’t not do this any longer”. He went on to explain that at that point he “started writing more intensely”, and “The Scenic Route” was born into what we know today.
If you’re eager to know what’s next, it’s definitely good news. Warner revealed, “I’ve recently started working on a full-length record with two songs in the can already”, also admitting he has “hopes of releasing that in 2026”, explaining “I still have a huge backlog of unrecorded songs”.
You can stream The Scenic Route and all Jackson Warner’s other music on Spotify or wherever you listen to music, and follow along with his journey on Instagram @jacksonwarnermusic, or on his website jacksonwarnermusic.com
