Billy Jeter’s – “Sins Of Me” is the latest single from the current album – Shineye Landing, and the third generation Arkansan with deep roots in the Delta shows he can really emote a tune when it boils down to this magnificently arranged and recorded folk song. I was compelled to hear more of his music after enough spins, and that is one of the first things a single is good for among others. It led me to more and that is the point worth making about this song, as well as everything else to be described about it and Jeter himself.
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/billyjetermusic/?hl=en
The story of Jeter is that he comes from a bloodline out of Arkansas that stretches from the Delta to the Ozark Mountains and includes a family of painters, writers and folk musicians. “Sins Of Me” is about the journey and the ups and downs that can get in the way but still don’t change the destiny. The song might be of the basic folk ingredients, but it is also strongly rooted in the blues which Jeter keeps close to his side with it being his preferred scale of which the solo puts fully on display without any secret to where his influences lay.
The Delta spawned so many great players you can’t deny its importance, and Jeter happens to come from a farm where blues legend Bill Broonzy worked, so it is written all over his work and you can clearly hear his influence on “Sins Of Me,” particularly on the slide guitar parts. But Jeter does not classify as a traditional blues artist, as he sings more in the John Lennon and Bob Dylan vein because of the lyrics which do take a front seat on this song because of the message and that’s where other influences like Gillian Welch come in.
These genres always mingle well, but hardcore blues fans could use a breath of fresh air and “Sins Of Me” is where fans of folk and blues music come together, and bring Americana with it. And that is not all, it even has a heavy gospel appeal to it because of the lyrics touching below the bible belt without being too preachy about it. “Sins Of Me” gives everything and takes nothing for which Jeter can be just as credited for as his songwriting and overall musical craft of which he contains bucketloads of to spare.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Sins-Me-Billy-Jeter/dp/B08DCHMXCJ
You can also hear some Dr. Ralph Stanley in Jeter’s wide range of influences detected on “Sins Of Me” but it is just another flavor in the mix and they can be heard all over his songs, which are well worth exploring before or after hearing this single. The rootsy vibe to Jeter’s music is what keeps you hooked, and it can be heard in every track I have listened to after spinning this introduction to what I find to be a fine artist with a killer band. “Sins Of Me” is a great bluesy folk remedy to help heal the masses in these uncertain times.
Troy Johnston