Jason Harrod

Jason Harrod draws from the best traditions of American music to create a sound all his own. His songs about lost love, found joys, and spiritual longing have garnered him a loyal following across the country.



Harrod’s latest release, Bright As You, finds him backed by a crack group of musicians featuring Phil Madeira (Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller, Al Green, Mavis Staples). The songs, sung in a rich, brooding tenor and underscored by inventive guitar work, range from the Beatle-esque "Bright As You" to the blues-infused “Night, Fall On Me,” to the dark, ambient lament “Messed Up Everywhere Blues,” which appeared in the 2007 film "The Wager," starring Randy Travis.



After releasing 3 albums to critical acclaim as half of the folk-pop duo Harrod and Funck, Jason ventured out on his own. In 2000, he won first place in the bluegrass category of MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting competition, an honor held by Grammy Nominees Tift Merrit and Gillian Welch. He followed that up with a first place win in the 2001 North Carolina Songwriters Co-op contest and in 2002 appeared on the Legendary Arthur Smith’s “Carolina Calling” television show along with Alison Krauss and Union Station. In 2005, Jason performed at the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IMBA) annual gathering as part of an emerging artist showcase. This year (2009), he was selected for a spotlight performance at the annual Healdsburg Guitar fetival sponsored by Acoustic Guitar magazine.



Jason was recently the recipient of a Lincoln City Fellowship for songwriting and also was named a fellow of New York’s International Arts Movement.



Living in Skin, Jason’s acoustic-based first album, features the award-winning song “Carolina,” which is a mainstay on NPR's "Back Porch Music," and "Siren Song," which was featured on the very first Paste Magazine Music Sampler.