Seth Hilary Jackson

We recently had the pleasure of getting to know the wildly dynamic and talented Seth Hilary Jackson through his brilliant new album entitled “This One’s For You”.
Upon listening to the incredible intro track “You’re a Diamond”, it became undeniably evident that this artist is truly something special. It is an unfortunate reality in the current world of music. Recently, it seems as though fearless, ambitious artists are becoming more and more rare and undiscovered. This is mostly due to an unapologetic desire by most new-coming artists to shamelessly reach into existing successful markets, void of any integrity, and follow an incredibly safe musical formula of commercially appealing and catchy tunes. Powerful messaging and honest content in music has been sadly lost due to this trend; it is growing more and more apparent that the main driving force behind many new “artists” entering the industry is simply a thirst for fame and money.

Seth Hilary Jackson has effectively carved out a unique identity, while creating something addictive and entirely digestible.

To give a brief overview of Seth’s colorful past; after years of flirting with the idea of pursuing music exclusively, he left the corporate world and made the move from the East Coast to Los Angeles to study songwriting at the Grove School of Music. After completing the program, he started visiting Nashville, Tennessee on a regular basis and learning the craft of writing songs to pitch to country artists. This led to his appointment as Coordinator for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). Eventually, he expanded into writing pop music.

Impressively, dozens of Seth’s songs have been placed with recording artists and in film and TV. Several made the Top 10 on the European Country Music Association airplay charts with one hitting #1 and another reaching #2. His song, “X-Ray”, recorded by German pop band Hella Donna, made it to #20 in the world on the Music Worx deejay chart and was the #1 download. Seth received front-page news coverage and a Presidential invitation to the White House for his song, ‘Pfc. Ross A. McGinnis”, honoring a war hero who sacrificed his life to save his friends. Private McGinnis was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor, and the song was performed at the US Army reception following the Medal of Honor ceremony. This remains one of Seth’s proudest moments.

Seth Hilary Jackson’s “This One’s For You” showcases a sound that is refreshing and passionate, while the content of the music remains entirely relatable and hard hitting. Versatile vocals shine through alluring acoustic guitar-work, masterful lead electric guitar, while a wildly groovy rhythm section adds undeniable character to each track. This makes for a wildly diverse and lively musical experience. The artist not only acts as a unique innovator; but he also effectively channels his deep, emotive, and resonating vision through an impressive command of the country, folk, pop, rock, and alternative genres. To be more precise, Seth’s overall sound is an amazingly varied fusion of these aforementioned genres. It is almost as if he effectively unleashed his wide-spanning musical tastes and influences into a giant boiling caldron, seasoned it with style and flair — and much like a mad scientist, stirred ferociously until what has emerged is unrecognizable — an infectious concoction of delicious sound. Each song covers a range of topics from silly love songs to songs about personal struggles and social/political issues.

After making the commitment to write and independently produce his debut album, Seth admits, “As an independent artist, it was liberating to be able to choose the songs he loves without having to go through music industry middlemen and gatekeepers.” This gave him the freedom to choose a variety of material covering a long period of time, including songs written decades ago to ones written just days prior to going into the studio.

“Broken Promised Land” particularly stands out upon first listen. The sonic landscape crafted within this track alone fully encapsulates the dynamic nature of the album as a whole. The track showcases a fusion of sound that feels intimately roomy, well-balanced and evocative, with a great focus on acoustic guitar-work and engaging electric guitar, smooth bass, and driving percussion. The sounds resonate, merge and surround the listener in a sort of sonic ecstasy while maintaining a strong driving beat. Seth really shows off his outstanding vocal abilities and remarkable songwriting skills.

Check out “Broken Promised Land”: [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOfKytVLXBg[/embedyt]
Another immediate favorite, “If this Song”, utilizes a similar approach. The song is fantastically sequenced with each unique layer packing a distinct punch. Impressively, Somewhere within this ambitious and inventively crafted track there’s an amazing injection of anthemic and powerful instrumental and vocal pieces and that flow in an alluring and seamless nature. The audio production is nothing short of spectacular. This is especially remarkable considering the music itself is ferociously dynamic and unrestrained. Kudos to the production team behind this release. The infectious vocals are intertwined perfectly with each evolving and ever-changing layer. It is a tireless listening experience and easily maintains your interest throughout. “Always Fighting” further builds upon this notion. With the powerful and effective backing of guitar, bass, and driving percussion; Seth proves that his vocal prowess is simply just one example of his many strong assets. Each vocal performance is authentic and memorable for his thoughtful lyrics.

“This One’s For You” is definitely one of those increasingly rare transcendent debut albums that doesn’t abide by the typical genre limitations and standards. Regardless of your specific musical tastes, regardless of any bias or animosity that you may have against the acoustic-focused genres; the sheer uniqueness and thoughtfulness of the songwriting within this album will inspire and ignite applause and appreciation out of even the most reluctant listeners. Shying away from the typical clichés of the plethora of genres that he borrows inspiration from, Seth Hilary Jackson has a remarkably unique style and sound which he maintains throughout the album. He certainly veer away the indie folk/country genre’s increasingly tired tendencies, creating a listening experience that feels entirely new and unpredictable. “This One’s For You” oozes with integrity, musical ambition, and fearless creativity. This release is definitely a trend-setter and sets an unbelievably high standard for artists hoping to break through into the scene.

We highly recommend you check out this album. We rate it a MUST LISTEN! - Screaming Match Productions

Website www.SethHilaryJackson.com
Facebook: @SethHilaryJackson
Buy Album: Listen & Buy Album Here »
The long time song writing and session musician, Seth Hilary Jackson, has released a lot of music over the years. However, now in 2017 he’s taken a step in front and finally released his own solo album entitled ‘This One’s For You’.

Seth grew up in Brooklyn, NY, but now he resides in LA. His music is acoustic, and crosses a few genres, creating a sound all his own. The new 11 track album ‘This One’s For You’ is really a great release! None of the tracks blend together, they’re all unique in their own right, and the songwriting is brilliant.

Being his first solo release after years behind the scenes supporting other musicians, he had a lot of original work written throughout the years. He chose his favorites from throughout the years, and even used songs he was writing as walking into the studio. So you get a good mix of work from throughout his life. Creating a real nice blend of music styles and life experiences. - MusicNotez

Seth Hilary Jackson holds ground with sound in his song “Broken Promised Land.”

Simple Southern sound flirts with big stage rock in this track. Country meets the city to the tune of honest reflection.

“As we watch our firm foundation turn into shifting sand…”
Blue collars intertwine – forming a lattice over the asphalt; a net of souls…

You’re caught in the tangle – swept up in the death march. A cliff marks the sidewalk’s end. On a wave of lemmings you’re borne over the edge.

Your eyes open to the sight of the subway station. You turn to the tunnel’s exit and emerge to a better day.

“We bleed red, white and blue…”
Outspoken on societal injustices, “Broken Promised Land” fits patriotic pride’s square peg into a crumbling society’s round hole.

Seth sounds out an anthemic chorus with Springsteen style. His voice is moving, quivering with bittersweet thoughtfulness. It makes the song for me.

The sound is straightforward; no twists and turns. It irons out its message with integrity; honest and hopeful to its last breath.

There’s a certain purity to this track’s country side that paints its bleak message in sunnier colors.

You’re sure to find a winner here if you’re big on Bruce S.’s style, but even if you’re not, this one’s worth your while. - OddNugget

It is easy to make a case for the fact that country music can take itself a bit too seriously. A gross generalisation I know, but you know the ones I mean, those moody looking, lonesome cowboys waxing lyrical about love, often unrequited, about the one that got away or done them wrong or their dog … or their pickup truck. Thankfully, Seth Hilary Jackson navigates a very different route through the genre on If Love Had a Butt, the title signposts as much and it is just the humorous shot in the arm the genre needs from time to time.

And he gets the balance just right. This is no goofy throw away tune, it takes a very serious subject but instead of getting hung up on the pitfalls and disappointments which often come part and parcel with relationships and emotions, he is happy to laugh at the whole thing. And musically it comes from a well thought out place, somewhere between pure country, pop and mountain folk, the tune is built on dexterous guitar picking, lilting banjos and gentle harmonies, perfect, clean-limbed and straight to the point.

After years of writing for other people Jackson has just released his first album, This Ones For You, and a quick listen makes it obvious that he is a wide-ranging song-writer, wandering from the sublime to the ridiculous, addressing issues serious and silly and taking in a number of genres. Sometimes you want something to think about, sometimes you want a sweet song and sometimes you just want song to put a smile on your face. Seth Hilary Jackson has all the bases covered.

Oh yes, and he likes Jethro Tull, so you have got to love him, right? - Dancing About Architecture

SETH HILARY JACKSON LETS US KNOW ‘THIS ONE’S FOR YOU’ (INTERVIEW)

Songwriting is a very personal thing. You have to become a part of the song. The songwriter must be the protagonist, the solution, and singer. Our new friend Seth Hilary Jackson has put in many years perfecting the craft and has a new set of songs to show how far he has come.

His latest album This One’s For You ties it all together with a variety of genres being explored. The 11 track record dives into country, folk, pop, rock, and alternative sounds all while focused on the skill of songwriting. This is evident right off the top with “You’re A Diamond” and Jackson’s clever use of lyrics to show his true feelings.

There is even more emotion on the slowed down “Broken Promised Land.” The vocals full of feeling pull the listener into the song. Seth Hilary Jackson has something to say and he is not afraid to put it out there.

On the title track “This One’s For You”, Jackson lets us even more into his life as he sings about his songwriting process and inspiration. The acoustic guitar strums along painting a warm and cozy picture for all of us to enjoy.

We caught up with the talented songwriter to get some insight into his career and his goals with his music. Enjoy the interview here:

You have led a full life outside of music. What keeps your musical fire burning?

Songwriting has always been the focus for me. I spent a lot of years studying and practicing the craft. Until recently, I was mostly working at writing songs that could be sung by a wide variety of artists. There’s a definite art and craft to doing that. It’s creating, but in a way, it’s also like acting. You have to put yourself in the position of the character you’re writing for. It’s like, “Today, I’m Jason Aldean. Would Jason Aldean sing this line?” Jason’s is performing for his record label, his fans, and radio, so all those are considerations in playing the part. One of the fun things is I get to play both male and female roles It keeps me in touch with my feminine side.

Writing for myself as an artist is a little different. Now, I get to star in the movie as myself. As an indie artist, I’m not playing for a publisher a label or even radio. I only have to please myself and, hopefully, my audience. I don’t have to try to fit into a specific genre. I like to think I’m creating my own genre.

How would you describe the Seth Hilary Jackson sound?

Eclectic. My current album, “This One’s For You”, starts off sounding pretty country. As it progresses, it veers off into a more alternative sound. There are elements of pop, rock, and some folk.

Which artists have been your biggest influences through the years?

When I was a kid, I fell in love with The Beatles. I loved the whole British Invasion thing. Then came bands like The Doors, Cream, Jethro Tull, and The Who. Singer/songwriters like Carole King and James Taylor made a big impact on me. One day, I walked into a Grateful Dead concert, and I’ve been a Deadhead ever since. In the ‘80s, I listened to a lot of New Wave artists like The Cars and Blondie. When I started getting serious about songwriting, I started listening to and studying music from various contemporary country and pop artists. It’s hard to single one out, but I had to, I’d say Taylor Swift, since she’s been a star in both genres.

You have experienced the major music scenes of NYC, Los Angeles, and Nashville. How would you compare them?

Nashville is the most fun. There are writers nights all over town every night. Everyone is doing original songs, and everyone wants to hear original songs. At these gatherings, it’s more about the song than the performance. There are nights for aspiring writers as well as hit writers. Some nights include both. You can get to a lot of places with a short drive.

LA is very spread out. There’s more of a band focus. I didn’t get out that much in LA.

I just recently moved back to the NYC area. It’s been many years since I last lived here, so I’m just starting to get a feel for the music scene.

What do you hope that listeners get from your music?

First and foremost, I want to touch my audience emotionally in some way. Some of my songs are just fun songs that I hope will make people smile or laugh. Some are love songs. Other songs explore more difficult situations and emotions. I hope these songs will either motivate people or just reassure them that they’re not alone. If I can get people to think, that’s great, but it’s got to start with making them feel something.

What advice do you have for other artists still pouring their heart into music?

There are a lot of things I could talk about, but I’ll just say that if they’re pouring their heart into it, that’s a good start.

What is next for Seth Hilary Jackson?

I’m looking forward to doing more live performing. I’m also trying to learn more about production so I can produce more of my own tracks. This week, I’ve been experimenting with something that sounds very different from anything I’ve recorded so far. Beyond that, I’m always writing new songs and looking for opportunities to get my music out there. And hopefully, to get paid for it.

Keep up with Seth Hilary Jackson at:

Official website: http://www.sethhilaryjackson.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kf11pfCLLGdclCZj76Kvs/about

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdKIXY9VoKtj630iGgzv_Zg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sethhilaryjackson/ - Indie Band Guru