This week’s Spotlight is Jason Lee Cook. Jason was born in Charleston and raised in Colleton County. He graduated from Walterboro High School and has operated the media department for PRTC for the past 8 years.
Cook started a video production business and doing cooking shows and commercials for PRTC which turned into a full-time job. Cook say, “I like doing the shows in particular “How It’s Made” type shows. I love being able to see how something starts to how it finishes. I love doing commercials because you are creating something putting it on video and telling a story.”,
Cook adds, “There are two things I’ve had passion for all my life; It has been video production and music. It started with the music and then it went to the video productions. I’ve been able to live both of my dreams.”
Jason spoke about his music, “I’ve always done music, since as long as I can remember. After my mother passed away, I found my baby shoes, she had put bells on them to keep up with me. She would hear the music as I was playing or running around the house. So I’ve always done music.”
Jason started with music in church. His dad taught me some guitar. He played during his high school years and other places. After playing random venues such as places such as pubs and bar. He worked up to what he is doing today.
Cook writes original songs. He explains, “I started writing my own original songs. That’s mostly what I do now. If I’m playing at the Roxbury mercantile or somewhere like that, I’ll play some cover songs but mostly I do my originals. My songs range from the 90s country sound to rock, it just depends on how I felt when I was writing that song. “
Jason got some inspiration from Garth Brooks. He says, “Growing up, I was listening to Garth Brooks all the time. I would imitate him, and I would say I probably still imitate him in some ways, when it comes to the writing, the way I play it, and, of course, when I do concert and stuff, dancing around and moving.”
Cook enjoy writing his own music and is currently working on his 2nd country album. He released 3 Christian music albums years ago. Jason explains his writing process, “There’s been a lot of times where I’m just driving down the road and does something hits me or I’ll be listening to music and something in that music that I like. Sometimes the music is just written with the guitar, and something comes out of that.
Jason just finished up with that with a small-town theater tour. Cook traveled with his band to older small local theaters to play and bring attention to these older venues. Cook loves touring and will probably do another small-town theater tour in the future.
In addition to the tour, he has also been performing in some more high-profile venues like House of Blues in Myrtle Beach and been able to open for several groups. He preparing to perform in Dylan Scott’s VIP room.
After touring last year Cook is taking a break, he says, “I’m mainly focusing on the writing part. I want someone to publish or record one of my songs. That’s where I’m at now. If you would ask me 10 years ago, I would have been trying to get a record deal. Now it’s more about the music and trying to get it out there. Whether it’s me putting it out there or other artists picked it up it’s all about the music. I’m excited, I feel like my writing has matured and there’s a lot of fun music, a lot of fun songs coming out.” Jason adds, “I’m doing less shows than I did last year, it was close to 200 shows last year. It will burn you out quickly because you’re doing everything yourself. This year, I’m trying to focus on more close to home stuff and more band oriented performances.”
He is also focusing on getting his music online. His music is available anywhere you get music from iTunes, Pandora, Spotify or you can go to Jason Lee cook.com. And that will take you to our show the tour dates, merchandise, CD and pictures.
Cook has won numerous awards for song writing. He explains, “That was first one I won was the World Songwriters Award which is out of 1000s of entries. I won that one for “Country to the Bone”, “Break the Chains” is a Christian song that I wrote, that another world songwriters award. I also a member of the international singer songwriters Association where I’m US Male Vocalist of the Year and has a Gold Record through then as well.” Jason’s tour also won “Tour of the Year” from the Carolina Country Music Association.
Cook does not have much spare time but in his off time he likes woodworking and going fishing with his wife Lisa, spending peaceful time in the outdoors.
When asked what he would do if money and time were no object, Cook says, “I would say, I would still do music. I would just play because it’s just as something that is in me. Whether it’s at a church, in a bar and grill or in a theater like House of Blues. I’ll probably still be doing it long as I can make a noise.”
