Jamie Fox

When singer songwriter Jamie Fox first appeared in Java City in 2007 we had not heard of her and decided to give her a chance. Everyone was delighted and students used words like “awesome” and “really great” to describe her engaging performance. Since then Jamie’s career has really taken off and we are delighted that she was able to come back on February 17th. Here an interview I recently did with Jamie.

How did you get started in music?

After it was determined by my pre-school ballet teacher that I needed “to find another talent,” my parents encouraged me to follow my love of singing. It was actually my sixth grade chorus teacher, Ms. Weaver, who cast me as the lead in our school musical and set me on my musical path. I began taking voice lessons at that time, and continued on until college. I started at the University of Maryland as a Classical Vocal major, but found that this was not the direction I wanted to take as a vocalist. I changed my major to Entertainment Business, and started singing in a pop band until I eventually made the move after college to Nashville. After all those years of training, I actually had to “de-train” myself in order to be successful in mainstream music.

Who influenced you as a musician?

When I was younger, I was really into musical theatre and I was like every young girl with a hair brush and a mirror. I loved the “divas” of music like Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, and Celine Dion. Reba McEntire and Shania Twain attracted me into the country market. But, now that I’ve grown into my own as a singer and a song-writer, I am influenced heavily by Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt, and a DC artist named Mary Ann Redmond. As a writer, I’m influenced by Nashville hit-makers Stephony Smith, Jeffrey Steele, and James LeBlanc.

What is your favorite sort of gig?

Until I can always be billed as the actual headliner, I love being the opening act for big name acts. It is such a joy not to have to unload a P.A. system ten minutes before going on stage. We usually get to use the headliner sound system, borrow their lights, and perform on a stage that is bigger than 6 by 6! Seriously though, it is such a challenge to perform for a crowd of folks who have no idea who you are and who didn’t come to see you. What a rush when you win them over, and they show up to meet you after the show and buy your CD!

Your musical style is unique. How do you define your sound?

I am influenced by a little bit of everything, but I try to write and produce my music so that it fits into the country genre. These days the internet allows you to be whoever you want, and for me, that is a breath of fresh air. I am becoming less worried about “defining” my sound than I am about making great music.

Do you write your own music?

Yes, I do write the majority of my music, but I have no qualms about recording another writer’s song if they said it better than I could. I am currently under contract with Rick Hall Music Publishing, and have been writing for the legendary Muscle Shoals producer, Rick Hall, for the last two years.

Where do you want go with your music?

I want to see my fan base grow on the internet. My Myspace page, www.myspace.com/jaimefoxmusic, has opened up endless amounts of opportunities for me and helped me gain over 12,000 fans. I would love to double this number by the end of the year. I recently put my music on i-tunes, so I’m anxious to see how that will succeed the year. I’m currently in preparation for a third music video, and am looking forward to releasing more live performances on youtube.com. Also, I am working diligently on putting together a mid-west tour for this summer. I may not have a major record deal, but I want to work like I do.

Are you planning a recording project for the future?

I have just released my second album, “The Devil Was An Angel Too,” digitally and by hard copy. I have a four song EP which is a little more outside of the country box which I plan to release this summer. I’m excited about that project because I didn’t worry about any boundaries with my writing or with the production of the songs, and I was able to work with some of my actual band members on it. I’m anxious to see how it is received.

Jack Montgomery is a librarian, author and associate professor at Western Kentucky University where he handles bookings for musical acts in University Libraries, Java City coffeehouse. Jack has also been a professional musician since 1969 and performs with a local folk duet called “Shadowdancer” with Graham Hudspeth.