In September of 2005, country singer Jack Ingram performed in the backyard (if one can call it that) of Barley House on a Saturday afternoon to a medium-sized crowd of random bar-goers, fans and SMU students.
A little over a year and a half later, Ingram finds himself with a number one single under his belt, a spot on country superstar Brad Paisley’s national tour and a Country Music Television video award nomination. In an industry full of struggling bands and artists seeking their big break, that’s a whole lot of progress in a short amount of time.
To cap it all off, Ingram, who graduated from SMU with a psychology degree, has a new album in stores. Released last Tuesday, “This is It” marks Ingram’s first fully studio-recorded album in five years. For long-time fans of Ingram, though, the album proves worth the wait.
The record includes 12 country-rock tracks, several of which even the most modest country fan is likely to have heard by now.
“Wherever You Are,” which went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country chart in 2006, and “Love You” have had frequent radio play for months. In addition to these well-known tunes, Ingram’s latest single, which comes from an unlikely source, is likely to hook new fans.
Ingram includes a country-fied version of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel,” which is much more of a ballad than the original rock version heard on alternative and Top 40 stations. Ingram’s “Lips of an Angel” is already getting heavy airplay and is becoming widely recognizable as a separate entity from Hinder’s original.
Ingram has always been a storyteller on his albums and “This is It” is no exception. The tracks written by Ingram himself are by far the most interesting of the album. “Ava Adele,” for example, is a lullaby-like song about Ingram’s daughter.
Despite its overall emotional tone, the album still reflects the hard rock side of Ingram that many know from his concerts.
The album’s most powerful tune, “Measure of a Man,” is an electric guitar-driven tale of life on the road, a life Ingram has grown to know well, having spent the majority of his days over the last several years on a tour bus traveling from venue to venue.
Some may be quick to claim that Ingram has “sold out” by becoming a national artist bound down by the pressures that corporate labels seem to have on artists and bands. However, even a quick listen of “This is It” disproves that theory, as Ingram’s voice is as strong and expressive as it’s ever been, and his songs are just as catchy as they were on his previous releases.
“This is It” marks Ingram’s well-deserved step into the big league as he joins other Texas country artists such as Pat Green and The Randy Rogers Band, who have gained recognition and success on a national level.
Go pick up “This is It” and support this SMU alum- you won’t be sorry.
