What is Whiskey Jam?
Hardy and Keith Urban at Whiskey Jam
© Danielle Piazza
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Ward Guenther and Bailey Zimmerman
© Courtesy of Whiskey Jam
When you started Whiskey Jam, what was the dream? Have you gotten close to that ultimate vision?
In 2011, I was eight years into Nashville, working as a singer-songwriter, bartender, chicken fryer, and a t-shirt salesman, holding down a bunch of odd jobs to get my foot in the door of the music business. I was playing writer’s nights, but they got boring. We’d invite friends out; they'd stay for a few minutes. They’d leave. Whiskey Jam was born out of that. The vibe was more of a party than a subdued musical performance. It caught on immediately. The long-term goal we’re still cultivating to this day is keeping that spirit alive.
You’ve had some pretty big names on the roster — like Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, and Jelly Roll. What’s it like working with great talents and helping them prove themselves before embarking on a huge career?
It’s incredible to see a new artist experience that validation. We have such a unique energy. When you see the artist command that, have a moment of connection with an artist, that’s what keeps us going.
Jelly Roll at Whiskey Jam
© Jason Myers
Plenty of big artists come back and play Whiskey Jam again and again, right?
Oh yeah. Jelly Roll has played seven times, Luke Combs seven times. The majority of them come through again and again. It’s something close and intimate. When they’re off playing stadiums and arenas, you have artists say, ‘It’s awesome to see how real this is and how it’s been for so long.’
We’ve been out on the road with Old Dominion and Luke Combs the last couple of years. Luke is touring the biggest venues you can play. He’s brought Whiskey Jam along to have a tailgate party outside because it’s been so impactful. He wanted to include the spirit on a global scale, bringing artists that could’ve very easily been him a few years ago. One of those artists, The Castellows, is on the Red Bull Jukebox lineup.
How does it benefit songwriters to get on stage and test out their material at an event like this?
There’s plenty of writer's rounds and band showcases that you can play, but not many are gonna have the exposure and eyeballs. We’ve had situations where artists will play Whiskey Jam, we’ll post one thing to social media, and [they] immediately get signed.
Wyatt Flores on the guitar at Whiskey Jam
© Keith Griner
What advice do you have for new artists who want to play their first Whiskey Jam?
Be patient, but also persistent. Submit occasionally. We’re listening to everything that comes in. We’ve got probably a dozen submissions coming in every day to fill a dozen spots a week.
What makes an interactive concert like Red Bull Jukebox so special?
One of our foundational elements is artist and audience. We’ve always focused as much on the audience as the artist. It’s a symbiotic relationship. This takes it to an entirely different level. This is the best talent in the world, and we’re giving an elevated experience, a one-of-a-kind night.
Whiskey Jam
© Courtesy of Whiskey Jam
How did you all get involved with Red Bull?
We have inadvertently been associated with Red Bull from day one because it’s what we drink. As we got to know each other professionally the last couple of years it’s been awesome. Energy is everything for us. We’ve done Red Bull Unlocked, and then we had Red Bull Showrun. After testing the waters, we went full throttle. We shot for the moon and Red Bull Jukebox is going to be a huge show.
You’re hosting Red Bull Jukebox, are you approaching this differently than a normal Whiskey Jam event?
I always approach our shows with a lot of humility. Nobody is coming there to see me, that’s 100 percent sure. This is gonna be our biggest crowd ever. I’m looking forward to a big, fresh audience. We get to tell our story and hopefully they pick up on the special nature of the event.
This being Nashville, the potential for surprises around Whiskey Jam, knowing Red Bull’s tendency to surprise — this event has great potential. You never know. Somebody’s always here. Overall, the uniqueness of this event, this being the first Red Bull Jukebox in America, coming to Nashville, Whiskey Jam being involved, is one of the biggest honors we’ve ever had. Nashville has never seen a show like this.