Jackson Dean

Jackson Dean is a country singer/songwriter with old-school grit and an easygoing attitude. The Maryland native cut his teeth regionally before moving to Nashville, inking a deal with Big Machine and releasing an eponymous EP in 2021. He found some breakout success with the single "Don't Come Lookin'," which appeared on his 2022 full-length debut, Greenbroke. A concert album, Live at the Ryman, arrived in April of the following year, ahead of his follow-up LP, 2024's On the Back of My Dreams.

Born and raised in Odenton, Maryland, Dean left home at the age of 18 and honed his songwriting skills in a one-room cinderblock shack sans heat and plumbing. Writing both independently and with co-conspirators like Luke Dick and Casey Beathard, Dean developed his sound at regional shows, and eventually found himself sharing stages with the likes of Kane Brown, Jake Owen, and Brothers Osborne. In 2020 he caught the attention of Nashville's Big Machine Records, which added Dean to its roster. Early 2021 saw the release of the single "Wings" ahead of the arrival of his eponymous EP, which was issued later that April. Dean's song "Don't Come Lookin'" benefited from a high-profile placement on Paramount's hit series Yellowstone, and made it to number three on Billboard's Country Airplay chart, eventually cracking the Hot 100 as well. It helped build momentum for Dean's debut album, Greenbroke, which arrived in early 2022. After "Don't Come Lookin'," "Fearless (The Echo)" was the album's second single and appeared in several different forms throughout the year, culminating in a live version that anchored his 2023 eight-song release Live at the Ryman. With the slow-burning "Heavens to Betsy," Dean introduced his sophomore album, On the Back of My Dreams, which was released in September 2024. Produced again by Luke Dick, it was a concept album that journeyed from light to dark. He promoted the album by touring as the support act for Lainey Wilson. ~ James Christopher Monger