Bio
As part of a group of “red dirt” musicians who migrated to Stillwater in the late 1970’s – a rag-tag outfit that includes Jimmy LaFave, Tom Skinner, Bob Childers and the Red Dirt Rangers – singer/songwriter Greg Jacobs helped set the standard for great Okie songwriting. His latest CD, “Encore” serves as proof this standard is still alive and well.
“Encore” is an eclectic collection of Greg’s songs running the gauntlet from local history in “Richardville Road”, a true rags to riches story of karma during the allotment process in Indian Territory around the time of Oklahoma statehood, to the forlorn lament of love lost in “Being In Love” and “Here to Tulsa”, to your basic boy chasing girl tune “Come Here For You”. A collection of some of the finest musicians Oklahoma has to offer joined Greg on the CD including, Gene Williams, Jared Tyler, Jeff Parker, Shelby Eicher, Terry “Buffalo” Ware, and duets with Carter Sampson on “A Heart is Breaking” and “Eyes of a Child”. Throw in a beautiful cover of Randy Pease’s classic baseball tune “I Love This Game”, and “Encore” becomes a must hear.
Some call Jacobs the red dirt crooner because of his easy goin’ style, and that just might be right. He is the smoothest of all the red dirt troubadours, laying down a solid Okie groove, on songs that are both historic and personal. As Thomas Conner wrote in the Tulsa World, “Jacobs is the sweet voice of Oklahoma “Red Dirt”-not quite the grievous angel, but maybe the mischievous angel”. Jacobs remains one of the more original of all singer/songwriters working in America today and more than most delivers on the promise of Woody Guthrie, who said ‘ all you can do is write what you see’.
The list of artists that have covered Greg’s songs through the years reads like a who’s who of “Red Dirt” including: Jimmy LaFave, Tom Skinner, Bob Childers, Cody Canada and the Departed, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Monica Taylor, The Red Dirt Rangers, and others.
“Encore”, and Greg’s previous releases, are available at CD Baby, iTunes, and most everywhere you buy your music.