In 2005 Jack Ingram became an overnight success with his chart topping “Wherever You Are.” But for years, Ingram dabbled in the music business trying to catch a break.
After losing a management deal and being let go from his label at Sony, Ingram had to find his niche. Now, coming off of a five-year streak of top hits in Country Music, Ingram embarks on his Acoustic Motels tour, finally finding where he belongs.
Ingram’s first stop took him to a swanky SoHo venue in New York with a dimly lit, blue-spotlight stage, more reminiscent of an ‘Open-Mic Night’ than a staple stop on his tour. But the Country-rocker got support from his fans, one of whom said, "Just be yourself," to which Ingram replied, "I tried for years to be somebody else. It didn't work out so well."
Ingram said that with this tour he is "doing exactly what I want to do, exactly the way I want to do it." That’s in contrast to previous experiences, where he only played songs that fans recognized from the radio.
Ingram continued through the show with songs like “Stand Up” and “Biloxi,” an intensely personal song about the disappearance of his father during his childhood. The singer said he draws on these personal experiences as motivation for his music.
"You've gotta write about what you know," he said. "The only thing I really knew at the time was that my dad was an asshole."
The wine-tasting audience allowed Ingram to be more free and quirky with his music, as opposed to his traditional beer-drinking, rock 'n roll crowd. With such an intimate setting, Ingram was able to really connect with his audience, and make them feel the emotion-filled lyrics.
Ingram has a tradition at his shows. He tells the audience, “I am Jack Ingram. And I play country music.” For the crowd at NYC’s City Winery, they now know exactly who he is.
Source: CMT.com
