Bozeman Magazine

“Hard to Be an Outlaw (Who Ain’t Wanted Anymore)” came from one of the wild conversations with my roughhouse, rounder, one and only, real brother. Far as I’m concerned, straight-shooting, greatest entertainer, songwriter, kickass, lives life to the hilt, outlaw who ever lived – or will live – my best friend, Jackson Taylor.”
— BILLY JOE SHAVER

When you’re immortalized in a song written by the likes of Billy Joe Shaver, and recorded by Billy Joe and Willie Nelson, there really is not much more to say than a few facts…

Since 2001 Jackson Taylor has been one of the most prolific songwriters and recording artists of any genre of music, with over a dozen CDs and multiple times on Billboard’s Top 100 list. All without record companies, management, booking agents, or publicists. Jackson Taylor personifies true independence.

Born the youngest son to a migrant farmworker, Jackson spent his youth living the modern equivalent of Steinbeck’s, “Grapes of Wrath.” With a background much more akin to Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, than his contemporaries. Jackson’s music reflects his adolescence of hard labor and poverty. Growing up working and living in the California, Washington, and Montana fruit ranches. Jackson’s musical influence crosses many boundaries. He has recorded with red dirt legend Jason Boland and Austin Texas legend Dale Watson. Jonny Two Bags, the lead guitarist of Southern California’s punk innovators and royalty, Social Distortion. As well as rockabilly troubadour Lucky Tubb, and south Texas rockers the Pear Rats. He has shared the stage with everyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Black Crowes, to Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver. Much of Jackson’s career early on was marred by excessive drugs and alcohol, and violent outbursts. Cementing his image as a wild and out-of-control artist. Leading him to be blacklisted from many venues across the country and internationally.

In the last five years, Texas music’s baddest boy has made good, found his center, and was offered his place in Texas music history by recording a Live at Billy Bob’s CD/DVD in 2013, which would have been unthinkable just a few years before.

Jackson now lives in Denver, CO with his wife, writing books, painting, and turning his manic energies into a constant flow of creativity. He and his band The Sinners, continue to tour and put out records.

As the wild times fade into memory, Jackson Taylor is shown to be as resilient as he is prolific.

Jesse Daniel used the forced downtime of 2020 to write and record his best work to date; a twelve-song album called Beyond These Walls, collaborating again with esteemed Grammy-nominated producer, Tommy Detamore at Cherry Ridge Studios. It is an up-to-date, mature collection of songs that show his progression as an artist without losing the sonic diversity that makes it a “Jesse Daniel” record. It features members of George Strait’s “Ace In The Hole Band” (Ronnie Huckaby), Willie Nelson’s band (Kevin Smith), and even includes a duet in Spanish with Raul Malo of The Mavericks. Many have praised Daniel as a showman or performer, but less often as the songwriter he truly is. The subject matter on this album sheds light on this overlooked side that has been there all along.

In short, this album is a love letter to country music in its many forms. It will leave you
with a sense of knowing Jesse Daniel better, both as an artist and person. He has grown immeasurably as a singer, songwriter, producer and bandleader since his humble beginnings in small town California and Beyond These Walls lays out just how far he has come and will continue to go.