If Jesse Dayton's name doesn't ring a bell, don't worry. Chances are pretty good that you've heard a song with his fingerprints on it at least once.
Born and raised on the Texas/Louisiana border, Dayton paid his country and blues dues backing various veterans—Texas blues legend East Mack Minor stands out in particular—in small venues throughout the South. After Waylon Jennings spotted him on a Nashville TV show though, he found himself playing lead guitar for luminaries like Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Glenn Campbell.
Dayton though, also has an obvious punk streak, as evidenced by his time playing lead guitar for X and The Supersuckers, and his soundtracks for three of Rob Zombie's films. All of these influences play their own roles in his music, which is weathered, charming, and unmistakably his own.
"Hurtin' Behind the Pine Curtain" sounds like it was taken right from the Saturday night playlist at your local roadhouse. Though "Hurtin' Behind the Pine Curtain" is technically a breakup song, you'd never know it from its swaggering, swampy riffs and blistering leads. This contrast though, is exactly what Dayton was aiming for.
"Pine Curtain is a nick name for East Texas which is surrounded by pine trees," he told Guitar World. "I wanted to get that Seventies hillbilly rock guitar vibe I heard growing up down there."
"Hurtin' Behind the Pine Curtain" is taken from Dayton's brand-new album, The Outsider, which is set for a June 8 release via Blue Elan Records. Inspired by George Jones, Waylon Jennings and Jerry Reed, it's a raw, eclectic record that reflects each of the many aspects of Dayton's sound.
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