“There are several things I love about the Orlando music scene,” said Orlando singer/songwriter Carly Jo Jackson in a recent email interview. “As an artist, I love the supportiveness and respect from other talented musicians. I also think there is some amazing talent here in the recording arts business that is really going to help the music scene grow. But I have to say the best part is the local audience. I love performing here because Orlando loves music, and being the one to get up and entertain is a great feeling. I always get good feedback and positive critiques, making every audience I’m in front of a whole new learning experience.”
A lot has changed for Jackson since her first Examiner.com interview. She started playing out in Orlando seven years ago, when she was still too young to play a lot of venues. Once she turned 18, it opened up more venues for her to perform in and it was also a time she noticed other differences with the local music scene. “There are many changes I’ve noticed. A lot of this may be because of the changes in me and the venues that I can play, but it almost seems like the music scene is being taken much more seriously than it was when I started. There seems to be so many more amazing artists out there. It’s a great change, and I believe on this track, Orlando will be more respected for the local music scene.”
The talent pool in Orlando is deep and as a part of it, the young singer/songwriter has found many local Orlando musicians she admires. “There is so much talent right here in Central Florida, it is unbelievable. I love doing shows with other local artists and being out there to support each other because we are all trying to do the same thing. One band though, has really stood out to me in the last few months. Recently I did a show at Backbooth with Zebra Panic and they stole my heart. I can’t put my finger on why they stood out so much to me in comparison to all the other bands in the area, but I think it was not just their awesome talent but the way they captured the crowd. They make me want to work harder. I know it is mostly about the music, but I think it is also about the show you put on stage and they just have it all.”
There are more well-known musicians she admires as well. “My favorites are always changing and my list is huge. But right now, at the top of my list are Dave Matthews and Gwen Stefani. Dave Matthews has a very unique writing style; he says the things I can’t. He surprises me with his words. Gwen Stefani is also someone I admire because she is so different. It is hard to compare her to anyone else because she is so unique. I would love to get to that same place, where I really can’t be compared to anyone else, where I am appreciated for just being me.”
In November 2011, Jackson released her debut CD, “World at My Feet.” “Releasing my first CD was a huge accomplishment for me. It took a long time to put together, but having my CD release party was like a breath of fresh air. It has always been my dream to be a performer, so the CD release was like a personal checkpoint for me. It really gave me a sense of ‘Ok, I can do this!’ I learned a lot from that recording experience, too. It helped me so much when I went to the studio again to record my single 'Wildflower.'”
Her song “Wildflower” was released as a single last July with the official music video coming out this past New Year’s Day. “This song has been such a wonderful experience for me. I wrote it on my ukulele last year during my first year of college at Florida Atlantic University. I was torn by my dreams of being a performer and the reality of needing to go to college. I was trying to find my place in the world. I still hold this first ukulele version near and dear to my heart. But a few months later, I was playing a regular gig outside a Boca Raton yogurt shop when I was overheard by Jonathan Clark who was doing some work for Chris Carrabba [Dashboard Confessional]. He brought Chris to see my show and as a result, I was invited to provide vocals on some projects they were working on. In return, they helped me rewrite Wildflower for guitar and recorded it for me in Chris’ studio. I have been a huge fan of Dashboard Confessional, so I can’t begin to describe how amazing this experience was. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback about the song since I released it this summer, but it is so hard to get it out there to a larger audience. So this fall when I was asked by local filmmaker Dale Metz to use the song in a short film he was doing, “On The Edge,” I was all for it. Hearing the song in the film made me realize that what I really needed to get my song out there was an awesome music video. Dale and I worked together and I am so excited to start the New Year with the release of the video. I think he did a great job in capturing not only the essence of the song, but my personality. Only three days into the year and I think the video has already started introducing my music to a wider audience.”
Jackson has found a few hurdles come along with being a female solo artist. “I think there are definitely some hindrances and obstacles. I have found that it is harder for female artists to be taken seriously and also I think we are always compared to other females trying to do the same thing rather than being respected for our individuality.”
As a college student, Jackson divides her time between school at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton and gigs in Orlando. She has several upcoming Orlando area shows including January 11 at the Backbooth with Rhenn Cahoe, January 15 at Lake Mary High School, February 9 at the Copper Rocket Pub with Rhenn Cahoe and February 10 at West End with Rhenn Cahoe.
Her CD, “World at My Feet,” is available from CD Baby and is downloadable from iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and other popular music web sites. She has a new single coming out January 15 with Atlanta based singer/songwriter Aaron Childree titled “Love is Contagious.”
Music fans can follow along with Jackson on her official site, Facebook page, Reverbnation, Twitter and You Tube.
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