Singer-songwriter Cris Jacobs makes his local debut and previews tunes from ‘One of These Days’
Cris Jacobs is in pain. The singer-songwriter has yet to shake off the impact of the Kansas Chiefs upset of his beloved Baltimore Ravens during last weekend’s AFC Championship game.
“It still stings,” Jacobs said, while calling from his Baltimore home. “It really hurts, since I’m a big fan.”
Perhaps Jacobs will turn the anguish into a song.
“If I do that, it’ll have to wait since I have an album coming out,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs will deliver tunes from his three prior albums and preview songs from his latest, “One of These Days,” which drops in April, when he makes his Spokane debut Sunday at the District Bar.
The collection of bluegrass, folk and roots-rock, features a who’s who of Nashville. Legendary producer Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss, John Hiatt) was behind the board. Such indie luminaries as the Infamous Stringdusters, Lee Ann Womack and Billy Strings joined Jacobs in the studio.
“I was holed up in my barn for three months and wrote this collection of songs on my acoustic guitar,” Jacobs said. “I had an incredible time working with all of these wildly talented musicians in Nashville. I love it there.”
“Work Song,” the initial single, features emerging singer-songwriter Lindsay Lou. “I’m a huge fan of Lindsay’s so that was a huge highlight of the Nashville sessions,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs never did leave for Music City. Instead, he opted to stay in Baltimore due to his family.
“When we started having kids, it was obvious that it was best to stay here,” Jacobs said. “It’s a great hub. I’m in the middle of so many cities that I can perform in. I have my musical community here.
“If I was 25, then maybe I would go to Nashville, but I’m here at this point in my life and I’m fine with that.”
Jacobs is a musical icon in Charm City.
“It’s a cool thing,” Jacobs said. “I can be me here. I don’t have to chase anything. I just go and make my own music and tour up and down this coast.”
Jacobs is finally making his initial visit to Spokane.
“It’s so cool to play a city I’ve heard a lot about, but I’ve never been to,” Jacobs said. “I’ll bring my electric acoustic cigar box guitar and hang out in a city I’ve never been to before.”