Conversations with Jacob Larson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Larson. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always had a huge passion for performing and singing. I was 11 when I got on stage with a live band for the first time, and at the age of 13, I had my own band that was playing shows around the metro area. Now, 13 years later, I have a 10-piece Funk and Soul band that gigs all around Colorado playing venues, festivals, and concert series. Later this month on October 28th we are releasing our debut full-length original album titled, Totally Legal. The best way I can describe the vibe and genre of the record is “Straight from the 70s Funk and Soul.” Funk and Soul music have been a huge influence of mine from artists and bands such as Earth, Wind, and Fire, Tower of Power, CHIC, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, and so many more. Since I was a teenager, it has just been the music that has spoken to me the most, and I love performing this type of music. Looking out to an audience of people and seeing all of them dancing to the music you’re playing has always been a rush of adrenaline that I can’t get anywhere else. 

In 2021 I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Music from the University of Colorado Denver. My two emphases were Vocal Performance and Music Business. Being in school for music truly solidified my passion for wanting to be a performer full-time, even though the path was not always very clear on how to get there. School helped me learn that everyone’s definition of “making it” as an artist is different, and I had to create and define this path for myself. 

We have released two singles from the upcoming album, and as I mentioned, we are releasing the full album on October 28th, 2022. I cannot wait for people to hear the music the band has been working on. It is something special, and just the tip of the iceberg in terms of original music from the band. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
2020 changed my whole outlook on not only my life but my outlook as a musician and performer as well. In March of 2020, I was admitted to the ICU at UCHealth Longs Peak with severe complications from COVID-19. This was before any mask mandates or lockdowns, and COVID was very novel. I was in the hospital for 20 days, 13 of which on a ventilator. On April 10th, 2020 I was the first COVID-19 patient that had been on a ventilator to be discharged from the hospital that I was in. My recovery was a long process that ranged from learning how to walk again, intense physical therapy, and also dealing with severe PTSD through lots of trauma therapy and EMDR, all while adapting to life in a global pandemic. My overall physical and mental health had to be the priority, and I was unsure how my voice would recover from being so severely ill. With multiple visits to my voice doctor and hours spent retraining my voice, I was able to return to the stage and perform again in August of 2020. 

Now, 2 and a half years since my trauma, I am doing better than ever and am playing music more than I ever have. I am still working day by day on my mental health, but I have great support and am taking it one bite at a time, so to speak. Some days are good days, some are bad, and some are just days. 

Almost losing my life absolutely changed my outlook. I feel grateful to be where I am, and will be grateful with however far I go. As long as I am making music and keeping people on the dance floor, I will be content. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Funk and Soul music is not exactly the most common music you hear being released from a 24-year-old, and I think that alone sets the band and music apart from others. Digging up influence from music that was released 50+ years ago and combining it with my experiences of the present definitely creates an interesting sound. The development of this album we are getting ready to release brings in a lot of different musical elements, some modern and some vintage, but all funky and grooving. 

I am absolutely most proud of our upcoming original album, Totally Legal. My co-writer and I worked so hard on this music and spent over 100+ hours in the studio making it all come to life. It has been a long time coming and I cannot wait to share it with the world. 

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The music industry will always be a growing industry. It is ever changing in terms of how we listen, where we listen, and what we are listening to. I think the big thing for music in the next 5-10 years will be adaptation and inclusion of technology in music and performance. Although this might change the live performance and live music industry, I think the roots of live music will stay steady. It is hard to replicate the energy in a room where live instruments or live performance is taking place, and I think people realize that and still love the live experience. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jacoblarsonband.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacoblarsonband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JacobLarsonLive
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JacobLarsonBand
• Other: https://linktr.ee/jacoblarsonband

Image Credits
Justin Hardman
Anton Pinkerton
Greg Carr