New York, NY (Top40 Charts) LA singer/songwriter
Jesse Jo Stark releases her latest track, a cover of the
John Prine classic "Angel from Montgomery," a longtime favourite that has taken on even more meaning in these uncertain times.
Shot at
Valentine Recording Studios in LA at the beginning of the year by photographer
Angela Izzo, the video was recorded as one take by a single camera.
Jesse Jo brings the song to life with an emotional solo performance channeling the rich history of this iconic rock and roll standard covered by everyone from
Bonnie Raitt to Dave Matthews. While staying true to the original,
Jesse Jo makes it her own with her signature combination of sultry drawl and raw power, reenergising Prine's classic ballad about a woman who had grown tired of her life and prays for salvation in the form of an angel to rescue her. This song fits nicely in
Jesse Jo's catalog as it combines many of her favourite musical genres with nods to rock and roll, blues and old country.
"I could never have imagined that when I released my version of this song that Mr. Prine would no longer be with us. I've been performing this song half my life - no matter where I am in the world, it always makes me feel at home. It's an honor to sing it and pay homage to him. I think we could all use some angels right now," says Stark.
In the run up to this release,
Jesse Jo has been donating 100% of the proceeds from all of her merch sold to MusiCares, an organization committed to providing a safety net for the music community in times of need. She's also making a donation in John's name to the charity. Anyone that feels inclined to do so can go here.
Stark is a seriously good songwriter and a captivating performer bringing a much-needed female voice to the indie scene, like a Patti Smith for the Instagram generation." - GQ
"A gritty spit-glob of punk-minded blues and country, she's super talented." - NME
"A musical genius. A total babe. " - Noisey
"Jesse Jo Stark. The star rock deserves." - Playboy
Jesse Jo Stark is the femme fatale alternative music has been starving for. If Nick Cave and Elvira had a one-night stand, she might be the resulting progeny. The LA based singer/songwriter picked up her first guitar at 11 and played her first gig at 16. She started building a quiet buzz with songs such as "Down Your Drain" and "Driftwood" produced by Jason Lytle (of
Grandaddy and Band of Horses fame) and co-written alongside Jonathan Rice. As she captivated a growing fan base both here and abroad, she earned the endorsement of press and fans alike in between her scorching live headline shows and residencies, firmly securing her as a unique emerging voice in rock. She's carved out a lane all of her own with her original style, stage presence and sound which has been described as "horrific hillbilly." Influenced by punk, blues, country, rock and soul, her voice is equally awash in a rusty twang and indie gothic soul informed by a lifelong love of Bride of Frankenstein and The Addams Family. She released an EP last year called Dandelion and has been on the road promoting it since, doing stints for Guns N Roses, Jane's Addiction, Sunflower Bean, The
Vaccines and The
Heavy along the way. Managed by
Linda Perry and Kerry Brown of We Are Hear Management, she has garnered well over 2 million Spotify plays without any traditional label support.
Up next is her first full feature length debut, out in October. A lifetime music obsessive schooled at the altar of
David Bowie and
Fleetwood Mac and a born rock star, she represents the future of rock with a wink to the past.
