Meet Jacob Larson | Funk & Soul Vocalist / Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacob Larson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacob, what principle do you value most?
Through my years of gigging as a professional musician, I have realized that I really value authenticity from who I am working with and making music with. I see so many artists and musicians trying to fit into a mold of what they think they need to look like or sound like. If you are writing and playing music that feeds your soul, then your sound and image will develop naturally from that. If you are authentically yourself within your art, like-minded people will gravitate to you and add to that authenticity.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We call my band “Straight from the ’70s Funk & Soul” because that really is the experience that we like to bring to our original music and our live shows. My goal with music has always been to make people forget the stress and BS of the day, and just dance. As long as there are people on the dance floor, I am achieving what I have set out to do with music. “Keep your heart safe, and your music dangerous” is a quote that resonates with me when I think about my art. The entertainment industry is not an easy place to be, and protecting my own well being and mental health is always a priority. The above quote also reminds me to push my limits with music because nobody has ever made history by sticking with the status quo.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Denver and Colorado in general is filled with so many amazing things and places to visit. We would definitely have to spend a day in downtown Denver going to some awesome stores like Twist & Shout Records. One of my favorite venues to play in Denver is Dazzle. Dazzle is a live music listening room that has great atmosphere, great food, and always has great music. In Colorado, mountain towns are a must see when you visit. A couple of my favorite towns are Lyons, Crested Butte, and Steamboat. Of course, Red Rocks Amphitheatre is an iconic music venue that is a definite must see as well, and even better if you are able to see a live band there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have mentored, guided, and supported me on my musical journey. Firstly, my parents have really been in my corner from day one. I consider myself rather lucky to have parents that are supportive of my artistic career as that is not always the case. Aside from friends and family, there are a few people in my life that have mentored and taught me about performing and singing, that happen to all be women. My two voice teachers, Adrienne Osborn and Kristin Henry, are two of those women. They are my voice teachers, but honestly mentor me in so many other ways than voice and they absolutely deserve a shoutout. Another person is a Denver icon and Colorado’s “Queen of Soul”, Hazel Miller. I met Hazel when I was around 13 or 14 years old, and since then she has been mentoring me on the business of music, how to present myself on stage, and how to truly “make it” in the live music scene. She is one of my closest friends and I am grateful to have her in my corner. The last person is Sandra Watts of Live @ Jack’s Entertainment. Sandra is the booking agent for my band and has taught me to never settle for less that what I am worth. I truly feel so fortunate to have such down to earth and kind people supporting my music career.

Website: https://www.jacoblarsonlive.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacoblarsonband/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JacobLarsonLive

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JacobLarsonBand

Other: https://linktr.ee/jacoblarsonband

Image Credits
All images taken by Anton Pinkerton and Justin Hardman