Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Jason Baker

Jason Baker is a Song Smith and Folk Singer from Vermont performing topical, original, folk-roots songs with a modern lyrical viewpoint, mixed with traditional folk, on guitar, banjo, ukulele & harmonica. 

What is your earliest memory connected to music? 

When I was likely no more than 4 years old, my mother dressed me up for some holiday event. This included dress shoes, which were not what I was used ot wearing at all. For some reason, I thought of them as tap dancing shoes, and ended up on the living room 

table dancing and singing “Tiptoe through the tulips…” (Tiny Tim was “popular” around this time) and also my favorite song as a child, “On Top Of Old Smokey”. There is a photo of me during this performance taken by my mother most likely. 

How did your passion for creating music begin? 

I was always starving for music is how I remember it: any music that came on television was riveting to me throughout my childhood. I loved “Sesame Street” animations that used music and bright colors to teach counting and spelling. I loved “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” and the incredible jazz piano and charming songs. I remember watching “Hee-Haw” just to hear music. I shared a room with my brother who was 8 years older than me and had a taste for Bruce Springsteen, Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears and Dixie Dregs. I begged to use his turntable, and he graciously showed me how. I begged my parents to let me buy “real records” and came home with Elvis, The Who, John Denver and Deep Purple singles. By the time I was a teen, I was asking for a guitar. Before they bought one, my parents had my step-sister’s boyfriend give me a “guitar lesson”. That fellow was Bobby Campanella of the legendary Jersey Shore band The Shakes, a contemporary of Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny & The Jukes. Bobby put his Strat on me and picked up his Rickenbacker, and proceeded to show me how to do the rhythm to Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode”, then showed me how to do the opening riff and improvise a basic “solo”. When we were done he said: “You’re ready to gig!” and reported to my parents, “The kids a natural.” He helped them pick out a cheap acoustic (“It’s make your fingers strong!” Bobby said) and I started taking some local lessons. That encouragement from a professional musician was very important. 

What’s the story behind your current music project? 

I started writing my own songs about 9 years ago, and started recording and releasing some of them a year after that. While I write many different songs in a variety of styles, I found that songs of social justice are my primary interest. I started with releasing albums in the standard industry way, but found that good songs were being “lost” to the sheer flood of music that people are exposed to. So I started releasing EP’s to allow me to feature songs, and now, I have decided to release singles only, so each song has it’s

chance to be heard. This year (2026) I am releasing a social justice themed song each month. 

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before? 

Folk Roots Americana – Classic acoustic textures with folk, blues,.pop and jazz arrangements and modern lyrics of topical concern. Backing instrumentation could be 6-string guitar, Resonator guitar, ukulele, 12-string guitar, long neck banjo and harmonica. 

What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? Connecting with the listener emotionally is the most important goal, not impressing 

people with your virtuosity or your “clever” lyrics. To quote Yip Harburg, the lyricist of songs like “”Over the Rainbow” and “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”: Words make you think a thought. 

Music makes you feel a feeling. 

A song makes you feel a thought. 

What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? For songwriting: an online rhyming dictionary (rhymedb.com), a musical instrument, and 

either a notebook and pen, or Google Drive or Google Keep to write lyrics For recording: musical instruments, a computer, Audacity (free recording software), a small mixer with a USB connection to interface with the computer, a studio condenser mic, cables 

Musical instruments include 6 and 12 string guitars, a resonator guitar, ukuleles, a long-neck banjo and harmonicas. 

Which indie artist or song are you loving right now? 

Carsie Blanton – “Little Flame” 

How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? I always wanted to write songs, but never felt I knew what to say when I was young. I 

made an early attempt that was a parody of “The Lumberjack Song” by Monty Python and was, revealingly, political ins nature (Title: “Reactionary Bozo”). It wasn’t until I lived a full life, working, raising kids, and struggling, that I found I had “something to say”. The results of the 2016 election was kind of an obvious catalyst: I determined to learn songwriting starting January 2017, and found that I had mostly political songs after that first year. 

What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?

I hope my songs bestow a feeling of empowerment. My messages are direct: liberation is inevitable, revolution is irresistible, you can change the future by taking action today, start a revolution right now… and so on. 

What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far? 

It’s important to “be on the same page” with people you are working with, whether it’s music or any other kind of teamwork. Also, everyone’s contribution matters, and everyone needs to know their part for the whole thing to work. 

What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at? 

Wembley! well… ok let’s be realistic. I just applied for the Your Roots Are Showing festival, so maybe that will happen, as I have never been anywhere in Europe. A friend of mine, Steve Suffet, has talked up the Folk Club circuit and that sounds like it would be fun to get to know those communities. Back Stateside, I’d love to play a big festival like the Philadelphia Folk Festival, or a little one like the Old Songs Festival, or have a gig at classic folk venues like Caffe Lena (been on stage there for a kids show) or Club Passim. I would also love an opening spot with someone (James McMurtry, Billy Bragg, Dar Williams, etc.) whose fans I think would appreciate what I do. 

If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? Past: Woody Guthrie just to learn from him how to write better songs. 

Present: David Byrne because I think his melodic sense and lyrical abilities would be challenging to match, but I also think acoustic textures would be wonderful for that style of song. 

Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) http://jbakervt.com 

Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey? 

I am working on banjo arrangements of a number of traditional songs and look forward to releasing those in addition to monthly releases of original topical songs of social justice for the rest of the year. I also intend to add more video of live and livestreamed performances, maybe add some modern covers to YouTube for fun, and produce some

regular “art” videos for studio releases. But if we are “dreaming”: I would like to increase the number of gigs I am playing and hope that can happen soon. 

What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? I only hope that my songs are heard and loved and shared, so I hope they discover I am 

a good songwriter.