Jacksonville has always been a pretty good place for music. From the venues to the history to the musicians themselves, this corner of the world has welcomed artists from Elvis to Yellowcard (with plenty of names, big and small, in between).
None have been better received than local musician Shawn Fisher. The 2006 Bartram Trail High School graduate started his rock star quest when he began playing music as a 15 year old and has amassed quite a following.
Last weekend Fisher and his band, The Jukebox Gypsies, opened for RCA recording artist Gavin DeGraw at a sold out show in Jacksonville Beach’s Freebird Live.
Tim Hall, who booked the show at Freebird and works with Fisher, said they killed it on Saturday night.
"Every show lately has been amazing," Hall said. "Gavin DeGraw totally dug his stuff. Big things are happening for him."
Fisher was excited to play for the sold out crowd as one of three acoustic acts. He said when he got word that the band would be opening for DeGraw (who himself opened for Maroon 5 who was then opening for Jason Mraz), he almost dropped everything and ran around the room screaming.
"Gavin was one of my biggest influences when I first started out," said Fisher. "I would sing along to his record. He set the bar for me. Sometimes I would like to thank him for where I am today."
Fisher, who is 20 years old and studying political science at the University of North Florida, said that he began playing the guitar because he wanted to play Weezer songs. He recorded his first CD at 16 and began playing local shows shortly after.
"I hadn’t played live before," he said. "It was kind of backwards. I wouldn’t recommend it."
Despite the challenges of playing to a live audience, Fisher persevered and kept playing over the next two years with his little brother joining him on the drums and his roommate on the bass guitar.
"After that I got a manager," he said, which happened in the summer of 2007. "Someone who has known me for a long time and has a lot of faith in what I do. I have an awesome band behind me and it’s been magical ever since."
Fisher said he can’t think of anything he would rather do than play music.
"We have a relentless hunger to do what we love to do," he said. "I’m pretty sure we are going to keep doing this and make just enough money to pay our bills."
Fisher has two CD’s under his belt and big dreams of touring the country and recording another album. As for the music scene in the town he’s grown up in, he’s rather reflective and has big hopes for the future.
"When I first started the scene in Jacksonville was very dog eat dog," Fisher said. "Every band hated every other band. "Over time, I’ve noticed a different feel for the music scene. We realized why are we hating when we all want the same thing?"
Fisher wants to work to make the music scene more established and he’s using grassroots tactics to do that. The band’s promotional tactics include playing for people who are waiting in line for shows at places like Freebird Live. Additionally, Fisher said the band utilizes sites like Myspace, Facebook and Take Over Digital to get the word out about the music.
Fisher describes his music as a combination of Tom Petty and Aerosmith and cites both as influences in addition to Jay Z, Butch Walker, Bon Jovi and the Goo Goo Dolls.
"It’s an eclectic range," he said.
Fisher would love to play a set at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles, but for now he’s content to keep rocking Jacksonville. Catch him at Jack Rabbits on Saturday, Dec. 21.
Photo submitted
7004- Shawn Fisher, singing his heart out.
