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Jamie Richards
Jamie Richards manages to do what few in his shoes can do - balance a songwriting career with a major mainstream label while immersing himself in the music of his roots, chasing his dreams and feeding his passion. With a laid back , sincere manner he quietly takes full advantage of each opportunity as it comes, looking back with no regrets. There shouldn't be a shadow of doubt left after hearing Jamie Richards' sing. He's country. "I grew up on a dairy farm in Oklahoma. I've always been listening to country music. The big influences on me were George Jones and Haggard. You can probably tell by my music, I am a huge Merle Haggard fan." In 1987, after eight years of getting his musical education first hand playing the club circuit in his home state of Oklahoma, Jamie Richards packed up his dreams, a bed and his television set, and with a couple of hundred dollars to tide him over, he headed for Nashville. With ample confidence and a mountain of patience he set foot inside the city limits of Music City, USA. As most newcomers discover, Nashville doesn't exactly greet you with arms open wide when you show up with a guitar in hand, but Jamie was more than ready to take his time and support himself by other means while he found his footing and made connections. "I went straight to construction work. I had done carpentry work in Oklahoma, but got into it heavily once I came to Nashville. I worked at it several years, while trying to break into the music business." Working in Nashville as a traditional country music songwriter and artist has been both eye opening and potentially discouraging. "I've learned that there are a lot of great singers and writers that are here in this town. If a person thinks that just because you're a great singer, and a great writer that you can come to Nashville and be a big success, they'd be really surprised. There are a lot of great singers that leave this town every day." Constantly running up against corporate mindsets can also be challenging. "People that are in decision making positions have come to these positions through business degrees and I don't think the majority even like country music. I think maybe they try to be objective but their personal tastes bleed through and that's what we're hearing on country music radio. When you have someone in a position of power that doesn't like or maybe even know what country music is then that's when you get the watered down country we've got out there today." Still, despite the pitfalls found in the business side of the industry Jamie harbored a willingness to take the opportunities one at a time, and it wasn't long before his talent, confidence and patience saw results. Almost immediately he began doing demo work for songwriters and in 1991 he got his first record deal with Capitol Records. But alas, the music industry is fickle. "We cut three or four songs. I think they were looking at two or three other artists at the time. The deal didn't go through. It kind of felt apart." he says matter-of-factly. Back he went working construction until another label expressed interest. The inside world of country music often makes little sense to those of us watching from the bleachers. In 1997 Jamie grabbed his second chance at a major label deal, this time with RCA. Once again, things didn't pan out, but by then Jamie had learned that industry dynamics were a major factor in determining how well things ended up working out. "I did some developmental work with RCA. I think we cut five songs. They said they were looking for a traditional country artist but I don't think they meant someone as country as I was." he laughs "I think the definition of country for Nashville and the definition of country for me are two different things. I think it was Andy Griggs who ended up getting the deal that time instead of me." He continued to work for the same construction company he started with up until 1999 when Curb signed him to a publishing contract and a record deal. Once again with only a few songs in the can, Jamie saw the writing on the wall. "We were hoping that it would turn into a full fledge record deal. I had a contract with them and everything.' He continues, "Mike was a little hesitant. In '99 country hadn't really turned around at all, it was still pretty pop. I had a feeling Mike didn't want to put anything out, so I actually asked out of my record deal with Curb when I knew that D Records out of Houston said they would put out a single immediately if I could get out of my record deal. I stayed as a writer for Curb, it's a great company to write for." Back in its heyday D Records was a formidable force in the industry as it established a solid reputation for introducing new and innovative country music artists. Over the years Pappy Daily helped to lend a hand up to such infamous names as Willie Nelson, George Jones and George Strait. In fact it was a young George Strait that was the last artist to have singles released on the label before its closure in the early 1980's. Wanting to carry on in the tradition of the family patriarch, grandson Wes Daily re-commissioned the label. With an impressive genetic track record for knowing a good thing when he hears it, after just one listen he was impressed enough to offer Jamie a recording contract. One aspect that stands out far above the rest in this particular record deal is the genuine support and belief that the label has in their talent. D Records was behind Jamie 100% even before the ink dried on the contract and there's no sign of the support waning. This spring Jamie's first full fledged album was released. No Regrets is an impressive album against any standards. Whether your tastes run mainstream or alternative, Jamie takes the guess work out of where to file this album in records stores...there's no alternative or Americana debate here -- just pure, solid, no frills country music. Curb associate and friend Jeff Tweel served as the album's producer, but this wasn't the first time he's been in Jamie's corner. "I met him about 10 years ago. He was working as an Artistic Director, listening to new talent. He believed in me at that time and tried to get me a deal, nothing work and two or three years down the road he'd try to get me another deal somewhere else. When I went in to meet with Curb I walked around a corner and there was Jeff Tweel sitting at his desk. I had no idea he was even working there! Jeff and I have always been great friends. When he showed interest in the project I thought it would be great." Although the album's only been in the public eye for less than a year, it's been a long time in the making. Sometimes the wheels move a little slow but Jamie's gathered enough first hand knowledge to know that patience is a virtue in the music business and timing and promotion is everything else. "I've been around the business long enough to realize that a lot of it is about promotion. It is just so hard for an independent label to get their product out. Radio play is limited and you just have to work it ten times harder. If Jason and I had a million dollars to put behind it, Jason or myself, either one would be a big success. It's just the money factor and we're trying to do a grass roots efforts, word of mouth." Jamie's voice hit the Texas airwaves earlier this year with the album's first single "Don't Try To Find Me", 
a twangy cover of the Roger Springer Band's cult-country hit from 1999. While
radio friendly and strong enough to grab the attention of anyone giving the
album a passing listen -- it's certainly not the whole story.
The album flaunts his songwriting and vocal talents with an understated flair and before too long you're realizing that every single great song is followed by another. A sure indication of the record's quality. Jamie clearly knows his way around a song, contributing to nine out of the thirteen tracks, including the album's second single, the Tex-Mex flavored 'Cold in Mexico.' The song was co-written with label mate Jason Allen and ended up as #40 on Texas Music Chart's Top 50 Songs of 2002 with almost 6000 airplays and still remains on their weekly top 50 list. From drinkin' songs (One Tequila, Two Tequila) to memories of love lost set to the tune of a two step (I'll Always Remember) to the heartbreak steeped Room With No Windows , No Regrets blatantly demonstrates what a country music album should and can be. With a front row vantage Jamie has definite feelings about how frustrating it is to be a traditional country music songwriter in Nashville these days. While it appears that there aren't many songwriters left that know their country from their pop, he shares his opinion from his optimum vantage point. "I think there's a certain amount of people in this town that for the past few years have been pushing us back, I am talking about songwriters. They push them back in line because they do write that kind of song. They can write like Merle can write. I wrote a song just yesterday about home in Oklahoma and I guarantee you'd think that Merle Haggard wrote it. It's got the melody, it's got the lyrics. There are few of us still doing it out there." The song "Tears To Deep To Cry" written about his father, demonstrates the point. The album track is easily a highlight for country music fans who prefer substance over fluff, but it's not one you're going to hear on mainstream radio any time soon. As laid back and relaxed as Jamie is, this is one topic he can get fired up about. "It's not a popular subject with record labels. They want music that appeals to 13 year olds. I write a song like Tears Too Deep To Cry and I feel like it is one of the best songs that I've written, maybe the best song that I've written. It's frustrating because you hear that stuff on country radio that's absolutely elementary, it sounds like a sixth grader wrote it. They are always looking for something fun, they are not looking for stuff that moves you, moves your heart. That's the kind of stuff that I love, so that's the kind of stuff that I try to write." If radio were ever to change its mind they'd find everything they need in No Regrets. And if they're still looking for a little fun, Jamie's current single, "Red River Runaround"
fits the bill without succumbing to spandex and rocketships. Jamie co-wrote
the toe-tapper with longtime collaborator/friend Walt Wilkins and it promises
to be the strongest single to date.
Following up this album is going to be a challenge but Jamie's ready with a batch of songs he feels are even better than the last. With word of a new Curb imprint there's been speculation that Jamie may find a new home. "It's not going to be an alternative label like Lucky Dog. From what I understand it's going to be straight down the road real traditional country music." While there's certainly a relationship already there with the label in terms of his publishing contract things are still too far down the road to even guess where things will be, but in the meantime he's content with D Records. "I think they like me. We have a great relationship and I can talk to them just like they're my brother or my friend. There's no ego problem. I would love to work with them. Hopefully it can be. I think this record needs to be successful financially for them before they want to jump in and spend several thousand dollars on another one." Wherever the road ends up taking him, there are certain things that are a given. In these days of cloned, beige country, Jamie Richards has given country music fans proof that an album rich with diversity and packed with solid hardcore 'real country' songs can still be made. No doubt about it, no matter where you're standing Jamie Richards and D Records need have no regrets about this one, and neither will the country music fan who makes the effort to add it to their record collection. Laurie Joulie Take Country Back January 2003 Listen to Red River Runaround and Don't Try To Find Me and then take a wander over to Jamie's official site for a visit! |
