Many successful artists attempt to “crossover” or “try something new” at some point in their career. So it wasn’t a huge surprise back in 2022 when Jaret Ray Reddick made the announcement that he was releasing a solo album. But Country?

 

Fast forward a couple years, and the frontman / singer / songwriter for the Grammy nominated pop-punk icons Bowling For Soup has dug his Chuck Taylor’s deep into the world of Texas Country…and there doesn’t seem to be anyone who is surprised by this! 

 

Jaret’s voice is unmistakable. It’s somewhat hard to escape it! From Bowling For Soup songs like “1985,” “Girl All The Bad Guys Want,” and “High School Never Ends” to the theme song of Disney’s smash hit cartoon Phineas and Ferb (where he also played a character on the show). He has been the voice of everyone’s favorite pizza selling mouse, Chuck E. Cheese, for over a decade and also co-hosts the widely successful Idobi Radio show & podcast - Rockstar Dad Show.

 

Despite being one of the busiest dudes in the business, Jaret is taking his country music very seriously! “My plan was to dip my toes in the water, release a few songs, play a few shows, and just kinda see what happens” he remembers. “But once the album was out, and I got the band together, we got out and started doing the darn thing, everything changed. Put it this way…three months after our first full band show, we traded my wife’s car in for a band van. I feel like that shows how serious I am! And how cool my wife is!” he laughs.

 

Jaret’s jump start into this new musical adventure is sprinkled with some very impressive events. “My first shows were in the UK at the C2C Festival at London’s O2 Arena. Just Woke Up came out while we were there, and folks showed up to the shows already knowing the words to the songs. It was very special. But, I don’t think you can beat my first show in Texas. It was a SOLD OUT show at Gruene Hall opening for the Queen of Texas Country, Bri Bagwell. I mean…That is a heck of a start!”

 

Just Woke Up racked up two top 30 songs on Texas and Red Dirt Radio before the tear jerking “Royal Family” gave him his first top 20! “There was a time I thought my 'radio days' were behind me. All of a sudden I am back in the van, visiting radio stations, playing acoustic on air, and doing it all over again” Jaret says reflecting on years of radio station visits with BFS.

 

Jaret finished out 2023 with an impressive number of live shows under his belt and a TCMA nomination for “Emerging Artist of the Year.” There are no plans to be slowing down any time soon. Jaret plans to release a new album, “Already In Texas” in May of 2024. His first single, post Just Woke Up, is called “Lone Stars” and will drop in late February.

 

“I was excited to start writing for the second album, but I couldn’t have predicted my happiness with the first song written. Back writing with Zac Maloy, who co-wrote and produced Just Woke Up, he had the idea of the “lone stars” concept. The play on words is so right up my alley. Anytime I can throw in a Texas reference, I’m happy…but the fact that we managed to do it in such a sweet song…man…lookout!”

 

“I love the new songs,” he continues. But I have to say, my favorite part of it all is that my band is playing on the songs this time. But yeah, the songs are great too!“

 

Jaret and his band have a lot of live shows scheduled for 2024. “It always falls back to playing in front of people for me. There is just nothing like it. I feel so lucky that it came so easy for me with this group of guys. I swear it is like we have been a band for 10 years already. We are are excited to melt some faces…Country style!