Country Star Jaxen Spurs Returns To Danville

DANVILLE, CA — “Maybe I’m going crazy or maybe I’m waking up.”

But a boatload of success is not a dream for Danville native Jesse Lopez, better known as country artist Jaxen Spurs. Those lines are taken from his new single “Waking Up,” a song that’s been played on the radio in 11 different countries. In just the past month, his entire catalog of music has performed exceedingly well on Spotify.

“It’s super surreal,” Lopez told Patch. “I’m still having a hard time convincing myself.”

Lopez, 34, grew up in Danville, and graduated Monte Vista High School in 2007. As a kid, he loved rock music in the hip hop-obsessed East Bay, but didn’t know much about country. After studying music in Los Angeles, he thought he was making rock ‘n’ roll, but his peers told him his sound was more country.

A music producer in Nashville contacted him just as he was graduating school to see if he was interested in cutting some tracks. He spent two weeks in the world’s country music capital, and was taken in by a city with “music stacked on top of music.” He quickly got to learn the country scene, although he still describes his music as “alt-country” and “Southern rock” with a diversity of musical influences.

“Versatile is the niche I’ve been pushing,” he said. “I’m releasing music that represent different genres, just bouncing around being organic. We use 100 percent live analogue - there’s no analogue or anything.”

Lopez also said the East Bay hip hop sound influences his work. “It’s the rhythm - I’ve always had a groove to my music that you might not find in a lot of acoustic music. How I phrase words to make them fit lines is tied to hip hop.

For six years, Lopez lived a peripatetic existence, busking all over the country, from the Vegas Strip to New York to LA, and everywhere in between. While it was exciting and formative, he also experienced periods of homelessness, addiction and alcoholism. He is now eight years sober.

Those experiences bleed into his songwriting, which he says is motivated by relationships, personal growth, and life lessons.

Even though he lives in Nashville, he is now returning to his East Bay roots for a bit with a series of performances in and around Danville. In April, he performed at the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Denim and Diamonds Community Awards, and in May, he performed at the Chamber’s Sip & Stroll event. On Saturday from 7-10 p.m., he will perform at The Vine and Spirits, and next Thursday, he will play at the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce’s Hootenanny at Forest Home Farms Historic Park.

Later this year, he will play at the Water Lantern Festival in San Francisco October 7-8.

For more information and listening links, visit jaxenspurs.com.