J.D. Jarrell

I love telecasters, and dreadnought acoustics, smoking guitar solos, and thick, rich tone. A tele has a very unique sound all it's own, throw in some reverb, and some compression, and that's my favorite tone. I also like to make my teles cry, and scream sometimes too. It really depends on what I'm playing, and how I want my guitar to sound. I play bluegrass, country, rockabilly, classic rock, blues, and even some western swing.
I moved to Nashville July 1985 with my brother John, and after a couple of Station Inn jam sessions started playing shows there. We formed what would become the New River Band in 1986, and started playing at bluegrass festivals, conventions and other gigs for Opryland Talent. We shared the stage with some of the greatest names in bluegrass, and many legendary country performers. The list is too long to mention all of them, but check out my blog for more about my musical background and influences. I'm still adding to it though, as I am reminded of others, or happen to think of someone I didn't mention yet. I was honored to share the stage with so many great musicians, and I want them to know I didn't forget any of them, or what I learned from them.
I got my first American standard telecaster in 1994, but was still playing with only a flat pick. I started to learn other playing styles after taking a road gig in 1996. It took a while, but eventually I started using my fingers with the flat pick. I was picking up signature licks from Brent Mason, and Dan Huff, but every other guitar player I met was doing the same thing. I decided to go back and listen to all of their influences, and see if I could find my own style on a tele. I'd already heard these guys, had even seen some of them play live shows in town. This time when I listened to Jerry Reed, Danny Gatton, Albert Lee, Roy Nichols, James Burton, and so many others, I heard things I hadn't paid attention to before. This time I could tell what they were playing, and recognize the similarities to some of the licks I'd been learning.
I got married in June of 2000, and continued to travel extensively for two more years with a band called Almost Brothers, and several other road bands. I took a house gig in Nashville three months before my daughter was born, but still took the occasional road gig every now and then. I became an online guitar instructor at guitartricks.com in april 2004, and found that I had a real passion for teaching guitar as well. I made my first instructional DvD/video called "Chicken pickin' bends and double stops" in the summer of 2004. I realized that teaching was making me a better guitar player, and that I was learning new tricks too.
I recently started adding video files to the lessons I have posted on guitartricks, and posted some new lessons too. I started a new tutorial called "Introduction to hybrid picking" that has been very popular. I am also working on two new DvDs that should be available soon, showing the playing techniques I use on a telecaster. If you're a flat picker that would like learn how to use your fingers too, then you should have these DvDs. It took me years to learn these techniques, but you can be using them in a few months. Let me know if you're interested, or if you just want to talk tele send me a message. Click here to visit my page at Song shack music for information about the DvDs
I'm also a songwriter, started writing songs when I was 14, and have been fortunate enough to have two cuts. I wrote the title cut for my brother's bluegrass album called "Carolina Daybreak" that we recorded in 2002. I played lead guitar, and sang harmony vocals on it also. A young man named Aaron Kelly recorded a song I wrote called "Until You" in 2006, and did a great job on it. Aaron is a very talented singer, and songwriter. Check out his page too, you can find him in my top 40.
I have written hundreds of songs, and have been a co-writer on many others. I have performed at many writer's nights in Nashville, and have collaborated with some very reputable songwriters. I also wrote a song for www.projectroute66.com/19601.html with Jess McEntire called "America's Highway". "Ole Route 66" written by Loretta Lynn, and "The Mother Road" written by Jess are available for download now. The artist, and writers involved in this project are donating their royalties to the upkeep of our Mother road. If you want to help us, or if you want to submit a song be sure to visit the website. Make sure you check out the video below, of Jess singing the song that Loretta wrote.
Guitartricks
Jess Live From Loretta Lynn's Concert Sept.27th. 2008
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4