Singer-songwriter Jesse Terry wrote a song titled Sedona back in 2008 – two years before he ever stepped foot in Red Rock Country. “I had a friend who moved to Prescott to go to school, and she would call me and talk to me about Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon,” says Jesse. “She explained the area so vividly that I just started longing for Sedona and the Southwest. When I visited for the first time, it was even more beautiful than I imagined when I wrote the song.”
Jesse, who was born in Connecticut and graduated fom Berklee College of Music, will make his northern Arizona debut at Cottonwood’s Studio B, Old Town Center for the Arts’ intimate live venue, on Feb. 25, and you better believe Sedona will be in the setlist. Jesse is no stranger to the road, either. In 2015, he played more than 125 shows in the U.S., Italy, Switzerland and the UK, and he tours New Zealand in January. Last summer, he performed at two prestigious music festivals: Tennessee’s Bonnaroo and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Jesse, along with his wife Jess (yes, they are Jesse and Jess – cue the awwws) and their dog Jackson, pile into the car and crisscross the country regularly. “As a singer-songwriter, 90 percent of my time is spent in the car or on an airplane,” says Jesse. “I couldn’t do this without their support and companionship.”
Jesse wrapped up production on his fifth album at the end of 2015, and it might be out in time for the Studio B performance. His music has appeared in several television shows including the CW’s Hart of Dixie, PBS’s Roadtrip Nation and ABC’s Forever. Jesse’s blend of Americana has been compared to Jackson Browne, Ryan Adams and Neil Young. But in the midst of nonstop touring and all the recent accolades, Jesse tries to keep it all in context. He says he’s grateful to be able to make a living as a musician. “I try not to put pressure on the creative process,” says Jesse. “It should be fun. There are certainly more reliable ways to make an income, so why do this if it isn’t fun?”– Erika Ayn Finch. Photo by Eric Gerard.
SEDONA CALENDAR: Events, activities, shows, happenings
