Interview with Musician Jamie M. Rhoades: A Journey Through Life, Music, and the Search for Something Better

Springfield Township has a rich history of nurturing musical talent, and recently, one of our own, Jamie Rhoades, has been capturing attention on social media with his authentic acoustic sound and deeply relatable lyrics. Experience Springfield Township had the pleasure of interviewing him not too long ago, and below is that interview.

Q: How would you describe your style, and the theme or messages you aim to convey through your music?

A: I would describe my style of music as “folk style, singer/songwriter/acoustic songwriter.” When it comes down to it, from the moment I picked up the guitar at 14 years old, I had a love for songs and lyrics—storytelling, etc. Bob Dylan was a perfect example that everyone’s heard of. I also had other influences like John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, Kris Kristofferson, etc. Each told stories with their lyrics, with pretty rhythms and melodies. They weren’t my only influences, but when it comes to songwriting, they were pretty influential.

The theme or messages I aim to convey are a few things. I’ll tell bits and pieces of my life stories—love, heartbreak, etc. Things folks can relate to, can feel, and sink into when they listen. Recently, I’ve noticed something about my songwriting. I have a recurring theme that must reside in my subconscious. I seem to really be screaming about running away from a bad life and searching for a good life. The lyrics seem to pour out when it comes to this, and it’s also the reoccurring theme of my own life…until now. But clearly, I’m drawing on all those past experiences—the pain, the depression that comes with it, etc. The song I’m currently working on (which may be done by the time I finish these questions) is about depression, and it is by far one of my favorites so far. I think some folks can relate that when in a depression, sometimes you listen to the most depressing music and things to almost make you fall deeper into the music…just before you begin to heal. So basically, life is the theme. And the toughest parts of it, with a touch of good things.

Q: What has been the most memorable moment of your music career so far?

A: Ok. I’ll give you two examples because I’m a little unsure how to answer with just one moment.

1. When I was younger, me and my musician friends all wanted to “make it big.” An immature way of thinking looking back, but it’s what we “thought” we’d love. So I’d have to say when a friend of mine and I started a band called G13 in my mid-20s, it kickstarted a dream in gear. And playing shows every week for years to hundreds of folks seemed like we landed an inch away from a big break. In this era, it was groundbreaking personally as a musician to have come this far, and that makes it a memorable moment.

However…I learned something pretty quick that I had never seen coming. I hated the attention!! Which is very counterintuitive to the dream I had. I had a solid, even over-the-top awesome stage presence, and enjoyed playing on stage. I was even very comfortable, most likely due to being solely focused on the music in my mind. But the second we took a break between sets, or after the show, I’d quickly sneak away into a quiet, lonely place. Maybe with a friend or two, but away from the crowd. I didn’t care or want to hear “you guys rock,” “you freakin rock up there,” etc., etc. I. Hated. It. All. We were a metal/rock band, and we were all on drugs and just full-on crazy. It was a fun experience, but by the time the band broke up (which was years later), I was DONE. I think I explained a lot of this in the first question. If not, just remind me, and I’ll clarify.

2. This is what I would place as the most memorable though, which has just recently happened. To me, the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me as a musician was not needing anyone, anymore. Coming straight out of a 5-6 year stint on a worship team, pissed off and over dealing with bands, or leaders, etc. I had always been used to needing to be in a band if I wanted to play live music, etc., or I would look for a singer because I was too embarrassed or afraid to sing…but I ended all that!! I am a singer now, a rhythm and lead guitar player, and I also play the harmonica now. I have come to a place where my literal soul always knew I needed to be. The one and “only” thing that ever really mattered to me had finally come true. To me, you can play in bands for a long time, but eventually you’re really too old in some ways. You can be a rapper until you’re too old, etc. But being an acoustic folk singer-songwriter…you can do that on your own until the day you die. I have so much to say, so many songs I haven’t written yet, and the future is wide open!! Becoming a solo musician has been, and is, the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever had musically. And thank God it’s exactly where my heart and soul have always lived.

Q: Could you share some insights into the local music scene in Springfield Township? How has it influenced your work?

A: Well, this should be easy, lol. I haven’t entered the music scene in Springfield in almost 20 years. I took a long break after G-13 (10 years), sold all my electric guitars, bass guitar, and kept my acoustic, of course. 😊 I began playing, teaching myself things on guitar, writing instrumentals on my acoustic, and songs, and continued that. I joined the worship team about 12-13 years after the long break from bands and did that for another 5-6 years before drawing a line and becoming a solo musician no matter what! I do keep my eyes and ears open as much as I can to what’s happening, and I never really see folk-style solo musicians much. Mostly rock, country, etc. The only influential piece of my journey through Springfield was just gaining live playing experience in my younger days. We were the house band at Bulldogs Clubhouse owned by Steve Williams.

Q: What do you think sets your music apart from other artists in the area?

A: Well, some of my answer will be speculative just because I can’t account for all the artists coming in or out of the township. But I do have an answer. ~ I would say that I do not see a lot of folk singer/songwriters in this area. I think more so you’d find them in the Kent area. However, it’s not the same type of folk music. It seems to be more pop, Ed Sheeran style… And this is where the difference lies. Not many of this generation are listening to the original folk legends. In fact, the music industry has pretty much taken over and killed originality and the folk-type musicians. And not many are bringing that “old classic” folk sound anymore. Beat up guitar, rough vocals, and a story you can’t miss a word to. Which is exactly where my style is coming from. I’m aligning my music alongside Waylon Jennings, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Dylan, Blaze Foley, and more. If you want to listen to something raw but beautiful, something you can relate to, and takes you back, then you’ll enjoy what I’m bringing, I believe.

Q: How has Springfield Twp. contributed to your music? How has the community shaped your artistic journey?

A. Well, this goes back to the beginning in a lot of ways. When I was growing up and going to Springfield high school, there were quite a few aspiring musicians. Guitar players & drummers mostly. This was back in the start of 1990-91. My cousin had been messin around with a guitar and playing pieces of some cool songs we liked. I thought that was soooo cool!! I was an athlete since a child, and through hs, so this artistic expression was completely new to me. My parents weren’t musicians, so I was just ingesting all this creative stuff. One day my cousin brought me over a guitar and said I could have it. Oh boy, if you could’ve seen it lol. It was an electric guitar if some sort, it was sunburst in color, it only had 4 strings (supposed to be 6). All of the strings were rusty, and they sat higher than normal from the neck of the guitar. Which made it harder to press the string down. None of that mattered!!! I was so happy!! This was an era pre electronic devices. So after school, or sports if go up to my room, pick up that guitar about every night and try to play things i heard on the radio, or if I had a tape. And I’d learn all these bits and pieces by ear. Little did I know this was actually greatly beneficial to me later on. Anyway, as I mentioned there were quite a few guitar player friends I had, and I started asking them to show me stuff. Since they were much further along than me. They’d show me things and id run home and practice it until i needed something else to learn. I did this for a few years. In those years, a few of those friends would get new guitars, and hand me down their old ones. So I kept getting better guitars. I never had an actual guitar lesson. However, those friends from Springfield lit the match that would ultimately light the fire inside me. Growing up in Springfield there was a bit of a reputation. Fighting, partying, and heavy metal. This is what we did in our small town. Even if you didn’t play an instrument, music was an enormous part of all of us kids from Springfield.

We had a lot of rage, and used bands like Slayer, Metallica, Nirvana etc.. to let it all out. This is also the type of music I started playing. Although I still would learn folk songs as much as possible. But I owe it all to my friends from Springfield for helping me along in my beginning years of guitar, as well as the middle years of playing in bands with those same guys. Another way Springfield has shaped my artistic journey is just the way we lived. We were huge adventurers. Like I mentioned we didn’t have cell phones or devices like today. We did things everyday. We grew up in tough homes, went through very difficult times, we were poor, misguided, but we loved like anybody else. We loved each other, took care of each other, ran away from home together. Experienced loss, love, heartache…all of the things I carry with me today, and write about in my songs. I wouldn’t change a thing about the tough life we all battled through, and the music that saved us. If you think I may have missed something please let me know. Sometimes I overlook things by accident.

Q: Can you talk about any upcoming projects or releases that your fans can look forward to?

A: Well, yes, I do have some things coming soon. I made a plan to write all through 2024. That’s been my main focus this year. I release each new song about twice a month. I intend on releasing my first album on all streaming sites either at the end of this year or the beginning of 2025. It will be more of a live album of some of my best songs of 2024. I’m still kicking around the idea of releasing two albums (both live) since I’ll have enough songs by the end of the year to release two. Just not sure if I’ll release them together or separately at different times. Also, 2025 will be the year I will be playing all over the city—at local coffee shops, bars, and events. Which will be the beginning of my live solo career. I’ll be doing a lot of my own songs as well as some of the classics from legendary folk singers like Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Willie Nelson, and more. As each date gets booked, I will be setting events in the calendar on Facebook and other social media for folks to be able to see where and when I’ll be playing. I may invite another guitar player to join due to the fact I’ve written other guitar pieces to some of my songs. This will give another musician a chance to join me on the road.

Q: How do you balance your music career with other aspects of your life?

A: Well, it works rather well currently, mainly because my studio is at home. I’ve been a Cleveland Union concrete laborer for the last 20 years. How this typically works is, I work regular hours M-F 7-3:30. I’ll come home and hang out with my wife and kids for a while, and usually at night, I’ll head down to the studio for a couple of hours or less to work on my latest songs. This has been working really well for the last two years, and I have to just say my wife is the most supportive. She knows music has always been a huge part of my life, and she’s just very encouraging all the time. I’ll run songs by her, ask her what she thinks and she’s just got the best opinions on what I’m doing. So yeah, I’d say the balancing has been working out great lately, and with my wife’s support, it will just get better and better!

Additional Info From Jamie:

“I wanted to outline my main influences as it relates to my overall sound. As far as legendary, raw acoustic folk songwriters (I’ve mentioned a few times), however…Bob Dylan, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristopherson, Blaze Foley, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash are a few major players that influenced my music. But, there are also other artists that I believe have played a major part. First of all 80’s pop music has absolutely influenced me. My mom was huge on listening to the top 40 countdown (on Sundays I think) with Casey Casum. But it was those 80’s pop songs that I’d sing at the tip of my lungs. From Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Lionel Ritchey, Michael Jackson, Elton Jon, Phil Collin’s, Prince, Bette Midler, on and on and on. All of it!! lol. This includes all of the really cool pop songs I don’t even recall the band names or one hit wonders, but I digested all of it. The melodies, the parts of the songs that grabbed you in your spine. The build-ups…into the melodic chorus. Beautiful! A few classic rock bands played a big part as well. Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, CCR, to name a few. I was also a “huge” ballad lover. All the hairband ballads I loved. Poison, GNR, Crue, Cinderella…all of em. I always loved “love songs”, heartbreak songs, all the songs that grabbed you so hard in the moment and squeezed every relatable feeling right inside of you. I believe it’s because of all these influences that I dissected, I know exactly the sound I’m aiming for. I’d write lyrics down on paper because they meant so much to me. The entire song. It had that much power in my life. So when I go to write my songs, I always believe the most important thing is the vocal melody. It has to connect with the listener. Lyrics are just as important, and the rhythm comes last for me. The only thing I aim for is to make a connection with the listener. They listener wants to feel, to relive a moment, to relate to the story, and be transcended by a piece of music. I know that, and I do my best to make that happen. I hope this helps you understand some background into why my music sounds the way it does.”

Note from Experience Springfield Township

Jamie’s lyrics resonate with the true spirit of Springfield—Red and Gray forever. Thank you once again, Jamie, for sharing your story with us. Your music continues to inspire and ignite the spirit within our community and across the world.

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