Jake Dodds grew up listening to country music, tuning into the Grand Ole Opry and watching The Statler Brothers Show on TNN with his grandparents every Saturday night.
Growing up in the 1990s, Jake got hooked on Garth Brooks TV specials and country radio, listening to Tracy Lawrence, Tim McGraw and Tracy Byrd.
In high school, it was Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney who helped the shy kid through those awkward teenage years of girls, football practice and mowing lawns.
Over the last eight years, Dodds has turned the dream of being a country artist into playing hundreds of shows a year across the country, opening for 27 national touring acts — all as an independent artist.
Come Friday, the Hoosier artist with original tunes such as "Prettier in Michigan," "Four Door" and "American Night" will perform a full band acoustic show at the Brown County Playhouse, 70 S. Van Buren St. in neighboring Nashville.
His following stretches nationwide. He recently sold out a dance hall show in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
"My mama always had a radio on," Dodds said of his musical upbringing on the online show INtune a few years ago. "But as far as music getting serious, it took a long time. It was something I was wanting to do in my head but never pursued.
"I think maybe I thought I couldn’t do it — and was scared to find that out."
He started singing on karaoke nights, and people noticed. They told him he should put together a band.
After eventually finding himself on stage one night with veteran singer Sheila Stephen, he felt at home with what he termed "lightning-in-a-bottle moment."
With his original material, he most often has stuck with personal experience.
"It has to be something that I’ve done," he said.
And what he has done in recent years seems no small feat: making a name for himself with no major-label support, but major effort and creativity.
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Who: Independent and nationally touring country artist Jake Dodds and his band performing an acoustic show.
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Where: Brown County Playhouse, 70 S. Van Buren St. in Nashville.
Tickets: $24 and $25 at browncountyplayhouse.org
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