JD McPherson grew up wanting to be a visual artist. While music was always a significant part of his life, he had never planned on turning it into a career. He graduated from the University of Tulsa with an M.F.A in open media; a degree he was able to design specifically for his creative interests.
McPherson grew up in the rural town of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. As a kid, he was introduced to artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Buddy Holly. He found that he was most influenced by rhythm and blues artists, as well as traditional rock n’ roll. It was then that he decided to set out to create an album that would mix together what he loved about the rhythm & blues and rock n’ roll, while still remaining relevant to this generation’s listeners.
https://soundcloud.com/rounder-records/2-let-the-good-times-roll-jd
The inspiration for his new song, “Let the Good Times Roll,” came from a long and uncomfortable night of cold medication and “Frasier” re-runs. McPherson recalls that he was home sick and watching an episode where the character Niles Crane finds a skull beneath the floorboards of his home. For an unknown reason, the scene seemed to have struck a chord with him. In a recent interview he states that, “It’s hard to explain, but time seemed to slow down and I had this mental clarity and focus I definitely do not usually possess. It was a terrible feeling. I wrote the song from start to finish, lyrics, melody and everything, lying there, sweating and suffering, staring at Niles Crane holding a skull on the television screen.” Similar to his music, the songs title, “Let the Good Times Roll,” seems to have an abstract meaning as well. He explains that, “It’s like a Pavlovian reaction to hear that phrase and feel like you’re supposed to have a good time.”
McPherson is set to debut his new album, “Let the Good Times Roll,” early next week.
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