Johnny Cash once said, “Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight.”

The same might be said of Jared Blake. People tend to jump to conclusions when they see Jared on a stage. The bad ass image (complete with tattoos, shaved head, ripped jeans and that searing look) can make an audience hold their breath as they prepare for what is about to happen. There is a hint of dangerous in Jared Blake and anyone who watches him can be sure there is a reason for it.

Jared has run into his fair share of bumps in the road and will talk about it openly when asked. There have been mistakes, falls and lapses in judgment. Those struggles proved hard and at times almost unbearable. The battles to achieve his dream made Jared feel like he was quote, “Losing his soul to the very thing that helped him find it.”

If you stopped right there and looked no further, you would be missing out on an artist and a person who has so much to offer the world.

You must listen carefully when this artist begins to sing. However, you can’t help but listen. The voice grabs any person within a 50-mile radius immediately. Jared’s heart and soul is revealed right before your eyes. There is no need for him to tell you his life story, because the songs do it for him.

The father of three little girls and one son (Gracyn, Chloe, Ally and Cash) has been working two jobs to take care of them. However, most of the songs he sings are directly tied to his job as a Dad. The tough guy image disappears as soon as you stop a second to listen to the lyrics. It can make the coldest heart melt, because the songs are relatable and heartfelt.

There is no cookie cutter sound from the Arkansas native. When Jared sings a song, he really sings it. It comes from the depths of his soul to the ear of the listener. The voice is all-encompassing and will give you chills. The rhythms are unique and driving. The phrasing is all his own.

Songs like “You Think That You Know Me” speak directly to the judgers of the world. Jared comes at you with lines like, “You think that you know me, but all you know is my name. You’re lookin’ for some peace of mind. I’m lookin’ for the same.” The song “Change” might be the most emotionally charged. He doesn’t overpower the audience with a vocal power ballad. The song is delivered in a simple, strong and impactful way. “Change” explains how sometimes we learn the hard way what really matters. It’s about understanding life, your mistakes and finding a way to change for the better. It breaks my heart to hear Jared sing this one. It (as are all of his other songs) is a piece of poetry.

The coolest thing about Jared Blake onstage is that nothing is forced. He’s exactly who he is at all times. Playing the guitar, standing at the microphone and looking directly into the eyes of people in the audience, Jared gets the point across. There is no need for anything more. The music is written by him about his life and delivered in a way that makes you FEEL it. You can’t ask for more from an artist. It has been said when you hear Jared and his band play, ‘the beat hits you like a train driving the heart of man.”

Jared the songwriter continues to grow a strong catalogue of music. The more time he has to grow as an artist, the better the songs become.

The bottom line is Jared Blake can move people with his music and his life. The world is about to find out just how well he can communicate. Somehow Jared must have figured out Johnny Cash’s secret.

“You’ve got to communicate. You’ve got a song you’re singing from your gut, you want that audience to feel it in their gut.” Keep listening and you will feel it..