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Jake Kershaw has accomplished more in music than someone twice his age. He has worked with world-class artists such as Jonny Lang, Tommy Emmanuel, Anthony Gomes, Larry McCray, Albert Cummings, and Walter Trout. Jake has opened for Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Bernard Allison, Samantha Fish, Marcus King, Wayne Baker Brooks, and Tab Benoit.
When Jake was 16 years old, he recorded his first EP, Piece of My Mind. Earlier that year, Heritage Guitars recognized him as a Young Artist and gave him his first endorsement. Since then, many companies have endorsed Jake, including Lizard Spit, Job Tone pickups, Apex Strings, and Medina Made straps. WYCE radio in western Michigan has also awarded Jake two Jammies for Listener’s Choice: Best Album by a New Artist and 2018 Emerging Artist of the Year.
During the production of Jake’s self-titled debut album, produced by Chrysler, Jake, and world-renowned audio engineer Bill Chrysler developed a friendship. "I have a very high barometer for contemporary guitar players," says Bill. "I have mixed thousands of live shows for guitar-heavy artists like John Mayer, Rush, Eric Johnson, Maroon 5, and Ted Nugent to name just a small fraction of my touring career - it is an honor and a privilege to be a part of Jake's journey so far. I am as proud of this recording as anything I have done in over four decades in the music industry.” Jake is now ready to take on the world with his original music and exciting live shows. He is coming to a city near you!
Jake has played many major music events and festivals in his short time touring. This touring has included every show since 2017 at the WLAV Blues on The Mall summer concert series, presented at the Delta Plex Arena. He has also played the Dallas International Guitar Festival, Buddy Guy’s Legends, the WYCE Jammie Awards at The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Buck Lake Ranch, Kalamazoo State Theater, the Lowell Showboat in Lowell, Michigan, and countless blues festivals across the entire state of Michigan. Jake is even an annual mainstay act at events in Michigan that attract sizeable crowds. These include the Rogue River Blues Series in Rockford, Battle Creek Field of Flight, and Perrin Brewing’s Backyard Bashes.
San Diego Troubadour
By Wayne Riker ~ May, 2022
Jake Kershaw, remember the name. The self-titled debut album from this 21-year-old guitarist and singer/songwriter will knock your socks off.
Kershaw, who hails from Albion, Michigan, is not only a dynamic electric guitarist but also a super soulful singer, a combination that usually elevates a musical artist to top billing. Three years in the making, the album was beautifully recorded and mixed by Kevin Kozel at Third Coast Recording Co. in Grand Haven, Michigan, with producer Bill Chrysler at the helm.
Eleven tracks in all, nine originals, make an immediate impact with Kershaw’s powerful lead vocals, bolstered by tightly harmonized overdubbed vocal choruses, tasteful guitar phrases where he never overplays, combined with well thought-out chordal arrangements to complement his lyrics, all nicely supported by drummer Scott Pellegrom throughout.
The pop-flavored opener, Lose My Mind, gives an immediate hint that there are going to be many radio-friendly format arrangements ahead. The two rockers, Stay on the Line, and Don’t Feel It Anymore, leave no doubt about Kershaw’s guitar prowess in effortlessly executing blistering rock guitar solos much in the mold of ’70s and ’80s guitarists Van Halen, Don Felder, and Tom Scholz. Another rocker, Never Not Gonna Love You, is augmented by some nice honkytonk piano phrases from Dutcher Snedeker, who also shines on piano on Trip in my Mind, a gospel-flavored ballad with Kershaw exhibiting his fluid major pentatonic scale and double stop phrases, equally fluid as well in the same vane on In Case You Were Wondering.
Kershaw takes a 180-degree turn on the Chet Atkins/Jerry Reed Flatpicking tune, Jerry’s Breakdown, in which he nails all the hot up-tempo licks note for note. Dana Robbins joins the party for the funky Ashford/Simpson classic, I Don’t Need No Doctor, where she tears it up on her 16-bar tenor saxophone solo, followed by Kershaw erupting into a frenetic ending solo, employing licks Jimi Hendrix and Eric Johnson would be proud of.
Kershaw accompanies himself on acoustic guitar for the catchy tune California as well as the closing track, I Will Go My Way, which segues into a blaze of fiery electric guitar licks, putting his final thumbprint on a masterful debut album with much to look forward to from Kershaw in the future.
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