Jesse Daniel said his song, “Son of the San Lorenzo,” has become a fan favorite. When he decided to write an album of autobiographical songs, it was natural to make it the title track.
“I wrote it back in 2018,” Daniel said. “I’ve played it for years and years. It’s become one of my staples. When I decided to write a record about my life, [that song] represented where I’m from and the path I’ve taken. It made a good introduction to my story.”
Daniel cut a folky version of “Son of the San Lorenzo” on his Rollin’ On album. When he recorded it with his touring band for the Son of the San Lorenzo album, he wrote an arrangement with a honky-tonk edge. “I wanted it to sound more country and more rock. That way, it fit into the overall feel of the album. It’s a departure from the Bakersfield sound of my past records. It nods to the influences I had growing up: the Eagles, Neil Young and Creedence [Clearwater Revival].”
Daniel went to Nashville’s Bomb Shelter studio to make the recording. He’s produced his albums before, but this time he took on more responsibility for the sessions. “We recorded to analogue tape, which was a challenge,” he said. “Tape has a warmer, more welcoming sound. I loved ’60s and early ’70s country and rock, and I wanted to reflect that feel and the magic of the stuff I grew up on.”
The band rehearsed before it went into the studio. Daniel wrote out all the parts he wanted them to play and sent out demos to instruct them on what he was hearing for each song. The music evolved naturally at the rehearsal and recording sessions. The engineer, Andrija Tokic, had connections to the Nashville scene and hooked Daniel up with harmonica ace Charlie McCoy (Elvis, Roy Orbison, George Jones), Lynyrd Skynyrd’s keyboard player Peter Keys and banjo player Richard Bailey from bluegrass greats the Steel Drivers.
“I’ve told my story in other songs, but never in the way that I’ve wanted to,” Daniel said. “I dove into those subjects and uncovered some of the things I wanted to tell people: Where I’m from, who I am and where I’m going.
“We recorded live, together in one room, with a few overdubs for guitar, harmonica and banjo,” he continued. “There were some minute changes, but I had most of it planned out and things stayed true to my vision.”
A love song to his fiancée, “Jodi” is a ballad marked by Daniel’s acoustic fingerpicking, band member Caleb Melo’s poignant, sweeping notes on pedal steel and harmonica accents from McCoy. Daniel sings softly, describing the ups and downs that strengthened their relationship.
The path from addiction to sobriety is laid out in “One’s Too Many (And A Thousand Ain’t Enough).” It’s a funky country rocker that describes the struggles addicts face on a daily basis, both emotionally and physiologically. Daniel’s matter-of-fact delivery increases the impact of the lyrics.
There’s a lively arc to the story in the songs, as Daniel describes his path from personal darkness to light. “I grew up in Ben Lomond, watching my dad play guitar in rock and country bands, in clubs and bars,” Daniel said. “I had a guitar in my hands since I was a little kid. I started playing in bands when I was 11. I also played drums and sat in with my dad’s band if the regular drummer didn’t show up.”
Playing music in rock and punk bands meant playing in bars. Daniel began drinking and experimenting with drugs. By the time he was 18, he was a heroin addict.
“When I was 25, I was playing country music and developing my sound,” Daniel said. “I met Jodi [Lyford] after a gig at a place called Bandit Town, and we hit it off.”
They became friends, developed a relationship and started writing songs together. Eventually, she told him to choose between her and his bad habits. He chose her. She became his manager and helped him develop his career.
“At one point, I was on the road doing 200 dates a year, all over the U.S., Europe and Brazil,” Daniel said. “It’s been my fulltime job since 2018.”
Daniel and his band will play at 8pm on Thursday, Aug. 28, at The Independent, 628 Divisadero St., San Francisco. 415.771.1421. $20. theindependentsf.com
