Pleased To Meet Me: Jackson Reed
Based in Calgary, the band is led by frontman and primary songwriter Jackson Reed, whose vision blends modern pop and rock textures with a deep respect for the classic sounds that shaped earlier eras. Their style is melodic, hook-driven and emotionally direct, reflecting a wide range of influences while remaining unmistakably their own.
Introduce yourself... (Where are you from, what band do you play
in etc..)
My name is Jackson Reed. I'm a musician and podcaster from Calgary, Canada. I'm the lead singer and guitarist for my own group, Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds. We combine our classic rock influences with modern pop to create a catchy and exciting sound. We've been releasing music for the last five years, and have had the chance to be featured on radio and TV across Canada and the US. Our newest EP is out on January 30th called Live in '25. This EP captures us at a moment of genuine breakthrough as last fall we had the chance to open for Nazareth in Edmonton for a sold out crowd of more than 2,000 people. The EP combines songs recorded at that show with studio tracks to make it our most ambitious release to date. Besides all of that, I also host the podcast Guess That Record, which has featured major guests like Andy Summers, Neil Giraldo, David Paich, and most recently Billy West from Futurama.
Why do you play music?
I've always been musical from a young age, but getting into rock and roll as a teenager made me realize that this is what I'm meant to be doing.
What was a major influence on you as an Artist/Band?
There were many moments along the way that were important to my music development. Getting into The Beatles at 11 made me interested in music as a whole. Getting into Led Zeppelin at 15 was what made me start putting in the effort to play guitar. Then when I was 19 I started listening to Bruce Springsteen, who made me want to become a vocalist and songwriter.
What’s a favourite book or film?
2001: A Space Odyssey.
Do you prefer the recording process or performing live?
The good thing about Live in '25 was that it allowed me to experience the best of both worlds, as the EP features both live and studio cuts. While I do enjoy both, I think I lean more towards playing live. It's so cool to get the chance to showcase your abilities in front of an audience, and it's also the chance you get to prove your worth as a musician. There's a real magic to getting together with other musicians and creating a sound out of thin air.
What would be a dream collaboration?
Bruce Springsteen for sure. I feel confident we can make it happen one day too. I'm friends with a few members of the E Street Band through the podcast, and my agent works with Bruce as well.
Describe a favourite album.
Keeping it on Springsteen, but Born in the USA is a really important album for me because I feel like it gave me a blueprint to follow for how to successfully combine rock and pop together. It's just such a solid collection of songs that are hard to beat.
What's your favourite local haunt?
Here in Calgary, we like to perform at the King Eddy. It's one of the oldest music venues in the city, and has been preserved by Studio Bell and the National Music Centre. It's a place that's always packed when you perform there, and despite having a capacity of about 150, it feels more like playing in a large professional venue than a dive bar. Another cool thing about performing there is the fact they have the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio in the room next door, meaning you get to play in the same space where so many legendary albums were recorded.
What's your strangest experience while performing live?
Not that it was strange in a bad way, but sharing the stage with Nazareth was a wild experience. It was our first time playing in a big venue for a big crowd, so to be doing our thing in front of thousands of people was definitely something for us to remember. It's a bit of a weird phenomenon to be in front of that many people, but Neil Giraldo gave me advice about that. He said when playing a big show, the most important thing is to have fun and not let the circumstance affect you mentally. That was definitely something I thought about before our set, and as such we entertained the crowd and put on a great show.
If I were pursuing anything other than music it would be...
I've always been a creative person, so I think I would still end up in entertainment in some form or another.
What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in
Calgary?
Calgary is an interesting spot because it's still not a major centre of the music business, but I do think it's growing. The Calgary Stampede is becoming more of a music festival than rodeo every passing year, which definitely helps the city's reputation as a hub for live music. The fact that we're also home to the National Music Centre is another aspect that will hopefully continue to increase Calgary's visibility in the music industry.
If you weren’t playing music in Calgary where would you
be ?
I think if I was born 40 or 50 years ago, I probably would have moved elsewhere to pursue music. However, the one good thing about doing it in this day and age is that I've been able to expand my network and land opportunities while continuing to be based in Calgary. Music is a little different than other industries where I don't think you necessarily need to move in order to find success. Bruce Springsteen never left New Jersey, Prince never left Minnesota, Rush never left Toronto, and I think we can make it happen while we're in Calgary.
Any sage advice for young musicians?
Network as much as possible. Creating connections is truly the best way to find success, not just in music but in anything you're doing. Nobody is going to find you or help you unless you're putting your name out there directly.
Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds Live in ‘25 is out now!