Jason Ferguson

Jason Ferguson, 25, is Tulsa’s most vested singer songwriter and proud of it. If you’re wondering what exactly that means, don’t worry, we’ll get to it in just a bit. For now, let’s just say he’s a promising new artist who will be joining us this fall to sing our runners across the finish line. I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Jason about his musical career.

Q: “Your songs are full of great pop melodies, and you sing with lots of emotion. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?”
A: “Lot’s of pop, singer/songwriter stuff. Ben Rector, One Republic, Gavin Degraw and Colby Caillat are some of my favorites. I love Colby Caillat. She doesn’t know it yet, but it’s gonna be Colby Ferguson one of these days. Just wait and see.”

Q: “From listening to your music it sounds like you’re more of an emotional writer than a topical writer. What’s your songwriting process, and where do you draw inspiration from?”
A: “I am much more of an emotional writer. Most of my songs come from things I’ve experienced. They’re cheesy love songs. I’m actually terrible at writing about love during a relationship though. It’s usually after things have ended when the songs comes out.”

Q: “Do you have any favorite shows you’ve recently played? Any nights that stand out as exceptionally memorable?”
A: “A few weeks ago, I got to play with Love and Theft at Cain’s Ballroom. Their single was number one that week, and it was really cool to get to meet and talk with them. And it’s also great to get to see your name on a Cain’s flier!”

Q: “Okay, now let’s talk about the vest. This is actually the first time I’ve seen you not wearing the vest. What’s the story behind it? Is there a closet full of vests at home, or do you keep the washing machine busy?”
A: “I was hoping you’d ask that! No, it’s just the one vest. I originally bought it when I auditioned for American Idol. I didn’t get on the show, so the vest went away for about a year. Then one day I came across it and thought I might as well give it another shot. I wore the vest out to a show, and people really liked it! I think it helped them recognize me after the show too. What was really cool was eventually other people also started wearing vests out to my shows. So I guess it’s kind of a trade mark now.”

Q: “Do you have a favorite venue around town? Is there any place in Tulsa that is special to you?”
A: “I’d have to say the Hunt Club. That’s my favorite place to be in Tulsa. I get to play there a lot, and the people there are great. I always feel like the Hunt Club is home.”

Q: “Awesome. Well thank you so much for your time. Before we go do you have any words of wisdom for our runners?”
A: “I’d have to say, it’s just a few more miles to music, beer and restrooms. Don’t give up!” - Route 66 Marathon

Singer's new release comes with a little help from his friends

Although Jason Ferguson has been playing around Tulsa for roughly six years now, he has finally emerged over the past two, becoming a regular fixture on the local pop/rock scene, often opening for local or national acts as well as appearing regularly at Hunt Club and a handful of other locations. Instead of pushing the rock envelope, Ferguson has found his niche and comfort zone within the window of mid-tempo pop songs, culminating in the release of his new disc, The Unicorn EPisode, with five of his best tracks.

Looking back, it has all developed and happened quite naturally for Ferguson. When sitting down to discuss his path to date, he shared quite simply, "I was 18 or 19 when my older brother taught me a few chords on the guitar. It was that famous old G/C/D, and a few weeks later, I was out playing an open mic night."

From there, Ferguson played as often possible, mostly at coffee shops and open mic nights around town. "I spent a lot of time opening for people, playing acoustic sets," he said. "Basically, I just went out there and played for anyone who would let me."

As a result, Ferguson started to build a little bit of name recognition, eventually breaking into the club scene.

"Radio Radio got me my first big bar gig," he reflected. Looking back, that show was roughly two years ago, a late summer all-ages show on the Hunt Club patio with Radio Radio and Chase Stites. Beyond that single showcase, however, the show opened up doors for Ferguson to play additional shows around town as well as officially introducing him to the Hunt Club, where he has since become a regular.


CASEY HANSON

Since that time, Ferguson has appeared not only at Hunt Cub, but also at venues like Vanguard, The Shrine, Treehouse, Elwood's and even Old Memorial Lounge a couple of times, picking up fans and making friends within the music community along the way.

"It has always been more about hanging out and making friends with everyone and people liking my songs," he explained. "I've never really had to go looking for gigs. It's always been more a matter of getting to know people and them asking later 'Hey, can you come play on this night?' And although I'm playing more and more, that's never really changed."

Ferguson's reputation within music circles has grown in much the same way. "I remember just randomly meeting the guys from Able the Allies one night at Treehouse," Ferguson reflected. "I had played an acoustic gig earlier and saw them play. They were cool guys and really good, so I asked them to play with me for the Ryan Cabrera show I had coming up."

Although some might find that a little presumptuous, it's something that comes naturally for Ferguson. Always willing to jump up on stage to play with a friend or acquaintance, he's also just as open to inviting others to come play with him. That's part of what makes his performances so endearing and has built him such a loyal audience: Even as his voice and songwriting continued to develop, he has always been open to playing with others, pushing himself and being part of a music community.

In turn, it should come as no surprise that when it came time to record his latest CD, he didn't hesitate to draw from his pool of friends to expand the songs and bring them to fruition. Instead of recording a simple acoustic record, Ferguson entered the studio with Rockwell (Ryan) Ripperger at the helm and recorded five songs with Bryan Coager on drums, Billy and Bobby Moore (of Able the Allies) on bass and guitar and Cody Clinton on guitar.

Beau Tyler of We the Ghost even makes an appearance, giving "One Night Stand" a distinctly different swagger on the verses, before swinging back into Ferguson's distinct melodic swoon on the chorus, providing a contrast within the song that makes it stand out within the EP.

When discussing the dynamics of recording with a band versus performing acoustically, which is usually the case for Ferguson, he shared that "Basically, I brought the song to the table, but I felt like Rockwell had a really good grasp on the material, as well as the guys I was recording with. They're all such good musicians, I really just left it to them to flesh the songs out and do what they though fit. Of course, I guided started it out with something in mind and guided it a little, but for the most part, I left everything up to the musicians and I couldn't be happier with the results."

The results come out this weekend as Ferguson releases The Unicorn EPisode this Friday night at Cain's Ballroom. In order to recreate the disc, Ferguson will be performing with a full band, including Brandon Holder on drums, Eric Arndt on bass, Jeff Coleman and Cody Clinton on guitars and Brian Lee on piano. Of course, Ferguson wil - Urban Tulsa Weekly