Essential 8: Jacki Stone

Courtesy of the Artist

Jacki Stone has announced her arrival with a debut LP loaded with her self-styled ‘California Country’ sound. On Like Hell It’s Yours, produced by the legendary Keb' Mo, the Sonoma County native crafts a raw, rootsy sound with a healthy dose of southern rock grit.

Like Hell It’s Yours is built on Stone’s uniquely approachable manner of songwriting, a style that owes a debt to the formative influence of seeing Carole King perform on her Living Room tour when Jacki was nine years old.  “That night, I realized that I wanted to be a songwriter as well as a singer,” Stone says. “Carole King is like the writer that I aspire to be.” 

As an eating disorder survivor and recovering alcoholic herself, Stone is evangelical about the importance of healing, hope and compassion. “When we heal ourselves…we help [others] heal,” she says. “I feel that music, in so many ways, can help…Whether that’s a teenager listening to the radio because it’s the only sanity he has, or someone in recovery from an addiction and they have that one song that can keep them from relapsing.” The track “This Side Of Blue” sits at the album’s core and expounds this central message by exploring recovery, acceptance, and self-realization. With this depth of soul-searching it is clear that Stone is not just a singer with a country sound. She embodies the spirit of the genre and the heritage of the land around her. Here, she answers her Essential 8 and speaks about the album, the place where she does her best songwriting, Carole King, her love of nature, and more.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
Like Hell It’s Yours is a bit like the light at the end of the tunnel, coming out of a dark time in my life, into new beginnings. It is me, taking my power back.

With Like Hell It’s Yours, what was the “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
My ah-ha moment with this song was actually a surprise, because I thought it was done.. but then it was accidentally sent in to have horns arranged for it, and the moment I heard the example arrangement, that was it - I knew it was meant to be; it had to have horns or it wouldn’t be right. Now, I cannot even imagine the song without them! Haha.
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Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
My musical mentors have been the vocal coaches that I have worked with throughout my career. Each one of them gave me new wonderful tools I would never live without, different and exciting perspectives, and each of them helped me build confidence in myself and my artistry. Those three women have helped me grow into the artist and person that I am today, and grateful is not a strong enough word to describe how I feel for them.

Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
I draw inspiration from all around me. Whether it’s a couple at the local market, a woman riding her bike past me, or looking down at dirt on my feet. Sometimes it’s the realization of a feeling or a thought that I have. It shows up in beautiful and trying, unexpected moments. ​

When/where do you do your best writing?
I write best at night or driving around in my car. A combination of the two is golden, haha.

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Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
It’s definitely a combination for me. Sometimes the best way to say what needs to be said is through a story that hasn’t been lived or written yet, sometimes it’s from my experience - others, my perspective of someone else’s experience. Then there are still others that are a little bit of all of those things. It’s whatever the song, or the message, calls for…

What’s your dream venue and why?
It has always been my dream to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage. I grew up watching, from my living room, the greatest of the Country greats perform on that stage. Being asked to perform there is one of the highest honors in the Country Music world.

Who would you love to collaborate with?
Carole King. It would be an honor, and a dream come true, to work with her.

Favorite (or first) concert you have ever attended?
I was six months old for my first concert, Alan Jackson, and I still think it subconsciously influenced my love of country music! Haha. As far as a favorite concert, I could never choose between Carole King, The Eagles, or George Michael… I just couldn’t.

Favorite thing to do on a day off?
I love nature, so anything that takes me outside, especially into the woods. I love hiking, riding my bicycle, and gardening.

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