Following the release of his debut album 'Late Bloomer', we caught up with the talented Jack Rush to learn more about his artistry, influences, and success.
What inspired the title of your debut album Late Bloomer?
The song was written as a heartfelt love song which was the fruit of a painfully complicated and ultimately unrequited crush involving a notable age difference after a rather long period of avoiding romantic involvement altogether. At least I got a nice song out of the misadventure. As it turns out it's also the perfect metaphor for my musical project since my debut album is released at the the ripe ole age of 68 years. It's never too late!
What was the most challenging track to create on Late Bloomer, and why?
That's a bit hard to say, but perhaps Big Feels was slightly more out of my comfort zone because it required more funky melody and lyrics which are not my natural style.
If listeners could take away one feeling or message from Late Bloomer, what would you want that to be?
Well the album explores multiple feelings and ideas which people can relate to whether it be good vibes or heartache, and each person's experience is in some way an opportunity to learn something along the way if you are open and attentive to it.
Do you think your approach to blending genres was shaped more by your musical influences or your personal philosophy of breaking the rules?
I would say it's more shaped by my varied influences, musical and otherwise. I can't help being influenced, it's just a natural and inherent part of living, and I don't really see it as a philosophy of breaking the rules because there simply are no rules concerning artistic expression.
Starting to record music later in life is unique—what gave you the confidence to finally share your work?
I play music and sing since I was a teenager and always dreamed of recording and performing but I also knew very well that I was not good enough until eventually I had improved sufficiently after decades of continuous study and finally I realized that I was ready to give it a try and to my surprise I discovered I was able to compose and perform songs which I felt comfortable sharing.
What does your songwriting process typically look like? Do lyrics or melodies come first?
I usually start by looking for a chord progression or some kind of riff or groove and from there I start experimenting with melody and only then do I try to fit lyrics to the feel of the music.
What advice would you give to someone who feels like they’re "too late" to start pursuing their passion?
All I can say is that it's never too late until it really is, so now is the best time to pursue it because worthwhile things do take time.
What does success look like to you as an artist?
I don't have any desire or illusions about becoming rich and famous, so for me the success is the enjoyment of creating something which I like and so much the better if other people also like it. It's truly a personal and intrinsic satisfaction of both the challenging process and the end result.
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