Five Minutes With: Pop-Rock Band Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds

Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds are a Calgary-based band that blends classic rock with modern pop to create catchy tracks and an exciting live show. 2024 has been a banner year for the group as they released their newest single, a cover of “Little Red Corvette.” Bridge Magazine praised the track as “a vibrant reimagining for a new generation.” The song has been a major hit on radio, receiving airplay on over 50 stations across North America. That includes major cities like LA, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, New York, and Boston. The group’s past achievements include their 2021 single “Dangerous Lover,” which features drumming from the great Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, and more). In 2023, their single “In My Head” placed on the Canadian iTunes pop charts, and received airplay across Canada and the US. Jackson is also the host of the successful podcast “Guess That Record.” The show has seen rapid growth in recent months, with episodes featuring Calgary’s Jenna Andrews, Dweezil Zappa, and Andy Summers from The Police. This growth culminated with Jackson being invited by Billy Joel’s team to record an episode with Billy’s drummer Chuck Burgi in person before their show in Seattle this past spring.

Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds

Name:

Jackson Reed and The Silverbirds

Genre:

Pop-Rock

Founded:

2021

# of Albums:

1 EP

Latest Album:

On Air (EP)

Latest Single:

Little Red Corvette

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

There were many, but The Beatles and Led Zeppelin were very important early on for me.

Favourite musician now:

Bruce Springsteen

Guilty pleasure song:

“Holiday” by Madonna

Live show ritual:

I like to run through some vocal and guitar warm-ups so that I’m loose and ready to go for the show.

Favourite local musician:

Natalia Chai

EP or LP?

LP

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl

Road or studio?

Both

Any shows or albums coming up?

The Silverbirds and I will be performing at The King Eddy on October 3 with Natalia Chai! Tickets are $15, and you can get them here. We’re also partnering with Cavalry FC to perform at their game on September 28! We’ll play a set before the game, and another one during halftime. We can’t wait to be at Spruce Meadows for a great evening of music and soccer. Tickets for the game are available here. You should make sure to check out our newest single “Little Red Corvette,” which has been very successful since its release earlier this summer. There’s also my podcast “Guess That Record,” where you can check out my interviews with legends such as Andy Summers, Dweezil Zappa, and David Paich.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Spotify | Apple Music | Instagram | TikTok | Guess That Record Podcast

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Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

Inglewood Drive In

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

9th Ave through Inglewood is nice. There are lots of great stores and restaurants on that stretch.

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

Fish Creek. Great for biking and taking in nature. There are many spots in Fish Creek where the forest is so thick that it doesn’t feel like you’re still in a city with more than a million people.

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

I think it has to be the Saddledome for me. My first ever show was there (John Fogerty, 2014), and two of the best concerts I’ve ever seen were there as well (Rush, 2015 and The Who, 2016). I’m so excited to be seeing Bruce Springsteen in the dome this fall. I’ve already seen Bruce once in Seattle, but I never thought I’d get the chance to see him in Calgary. It will be a very special show for that reason.

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Recordland. Since I started collecting albums 10 years ago, it’s always been my go-to place to pick up vinyl, tapes, and CDs. I’ve been to record stores all over North America, and none have as good of a selection as Recordland in my experience. I have a great relationship with Recordland as they’re a sponsor of Guess That Record, but I genuinely mean it when I say they’re the best record store in the world.

 

About Demian Vernieri 625 Articles
Demian is an Argentinian retired musician, avid gamer and editor for the Montréal Guardian, Toronto Guardian, Calgary Guardian and Vancouver Guardian websites.