Jason Hawk Harris: Upstairs at Ponyboy
January 18th, 2019, Ponyboy - Jason Hawk Harris made two stops in the state of Oklahoma this past weekend. One of them was Upstairs at Ponyboy, a nice venue attached to the historic Tower Theatre. Hawk Harris may have hit “rock bottom” during the writing and recording of his debut album, Love & the Dark. But, the Bloodshot Records recording artist has the potential to be known as one of the best composers and lyricist in the game.
Jason Hawk Harris | All Photos By Rob Brown
The Houston born, L.A. based musician was raised on the likes of Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, Jim Croce and Patsy Cline. Hawk Harris was exposed to the traditional country and western music by his grandfather from a very early age. His teenage years brought with it influences from punk, indie rock, and most notably - Freddie Mercury and Queen. Music education would lead Jason Hawk Harris into classical composition and he was wait-listed for the master’s program at UCLA.
Hardships have plagued the young singer-songwriter. One of those hardships was addiction. A vice that Jason Hawk Harris has had to overcome. His life experiences make up the context of his art, his craft. He classically trained and has written thousands of measures of classical music. It was on the road with indie folk band, The Show Ponies, that Jason began to return to his roots. Hawk Harris would begin to write his own songs. He infused them with his classical background and a flavor of rock n’ roll that makes his sound all it’s own.
Jason Hawk Harris’s set at Ponyboy provided us with a personal insight to who he is. Like his album, Love & the Dark, his set is a personal narrative on death, struggle, and addiction, of a life deconstructed and reassembled. He has the stage presence and the “it” factor that compliments his musical talents and will eventually propel him into the ears and hearts of many more fans. A rising star in the musical takeover that is happening before our eyes, Jason Hawk Harris will be a known player in the world of talented singer-songwriters of this generation.
