Jesse Jack Sample performed his songs in public for the first time at an open mic night only a couple of years ago.
Now, at the age of 44, he has released an album and recently recorded a couple of new songs with a band. Earlier this month, he won a competitive regional songwriting competition, earning a special trophy and a $750 prize.
“When I write these songs, I write them for me. I never had the intention of going out and playing shows and having a band,” he said.
In truth, he finds performing to be nerve-wracking.
“It’s like standing in front of people naked. That’s what it feels like, emotionally. Especially with your own stuff. I try not to let people’s reactions to my art determine how I feel about it. But if people connect to it, that’s great.”
On May 6-7, Sample won the title of “2023 Songwriter of the Year” at the inaugural Midwest Songwriters Festival at Pickled Pete’s Bar and Grill in Frontenac. He competed against about 20 other songwriters from multiple states. Jenn Schott, a Nashville songwriter and public speaker who was born and raised in Pittsburg, gave a special presentation.
Each performer had an opportunity to sing one song and talk briefly about its development.
Sample chose to perform “United States,” a song he admits is one of his more “commercially viable songs.”
It tells of a conversation between two cousins who have reconnected after some time apart. They reminisce about growing up together “back when neighbors knew their neighbors and America was strong. We could play outside ‘til the street lights came on.”
Most of his songs are a little more personal — “a lot of love songs” — but he felt that particular song met the judges’ criteria. Songs were scored based on creativity, composition, memorable melodies and recording quality.
“I looked at the scoresheet and it looked like that song fit really well. It tells a good story. It flows well, it resolves well. If they were looking for a song that just broke your heart, I’d have played a different song, you know?”
HEARTBREAK formed the basis for changing the way Sample thought about songwriting and music.
He grew up in Wichita with parents who played bluegrass and country music. His father, who now lives in Arizona, has always written songs and taught Sample how to play.
Sample and his wife, Rachel, owned a wood flooring business in Wichita for about 10 years. They sold the business five years ago and moved to a rural home near Toronto. They have four sons: Taylor is finishing his junior year at Yates Center High School; Conor, Christian and Junior are adults.
Once his children were older and Sample had more time, he found himself getting back into music. A neighbor, Jessie Hoag, is a business owner and an English major who writes poetry. They started working together. Sample put music to some of her poems, and she helped him fine-tune the lyrics to songs he wrote.
