Country music artist Jason Jones to kick-off concert series

By Kellie Oates

It’s sayonara summer, hello school year.

But for students already looking to take a break from classes and schoolwork, the Student Activities Board begins their outdoor concert series Backyard Beats on Wednesday at 8 at the Memorial Hall amphitheater. The series will feature a different performer every other Wednesday.“Wednesday night, halfway through the week, it’s time to just relax for a few hours, hang out and listen to some good music,” said Louise Cincala, director of concerts for SAB.

Rising country music star Jason Jones will start the series.

“He sings his own original music as well as covers of other country songs,” Cincala said. “So, it’s the perfect mix of singing along and listening.”

Jones’ MySpace page, (www.myspace.com/jonesville), allows viewers to preview multiple songs and gives a short background of the artist. His lyrics touch home and his voice is comparable to Gary LeVox’s, the lead vocalist of Grammy Award-winning country music group Rascal Flatts.

According to his MySpace page, Jones is a Tallahassee, Fla., native, and has been interested in playing music since the age of 13. But the country singer didn’t realize the weight of his musical ability until he took place in a talent competition in Dallas during a summer off from college.

The competition sent him to Nashville where his career took off. Jones recently signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records last May.

“At our national convention, we really enjoyed Jones’ performance,” said Ben Vanderhorst, president of SAB. “He’ll do a great job opening up this series.”

Jones is just the first of many more artists to come this semester, including Anthony David, Florez and Seabird.

“We’ve got different genres all lined up,” Cincala said. “Backyard Beats offers something for everyone, ranging from country and R&B to jam band and indie rock. I’m positive it will be a great time.”