Growing up in a large Italian-German family in Pittsburgh, Pa., Jason McCord of Independence Township said his music started early.
‘When I was 8 or 9 years old, I used to put on music shows for the kids in the local area,” McCord said. “It was great, I would have them on the back of my porch and I couldn’t believe that other kids would show up. Even some of the younger kids would draw me pictures and stuff. I thought ‘wow, this is so cool. This is what it must feel like to be Billy Joel or Elton John.??
At age 12, McCord auditioned and got into the Pittsburgh Boy Choir, which traveled all over the country. The experience taught him a lot about performance and new respect for classical music.
‘I just remember spending a few weeks being on a tour bus going from town to town singing at different venues, staying at host homes, and meeting a completely wide array of people,? he said. ‘It was fantastic and I thought, ‘I could do this the rest of my life.??
After high school in 1994, he finally found his way to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he earned his BA in music and Master’s in Music Production.
McCord said he recalls many sleepless nights when someone in the dorm downstairs played guitar late into the night.
‘The guy was just jamming away ? quite a few occasions, I would ask him ‘dude can you just turn it down, man? It’s 3 o’clock in the morning, you’re a great player, but I just need to get some sleep.? He was always respectful and apparently all that practice paid off because John Mayer is doing great,?? he said with a laugh. ‘So, John, thanks for keeping me up at night, it got you the Grammy, so I guess it was worth it.?
After graduating from Berklee, McCord headed out to Nashville. He said it was understood when you went to Berklee, you were going to go to one of the big three, New York City, Los Angeles, or Nashville. McCord lived in New York and Los Angeles, but was most comfortable in Nashville.
‘I had already made some contacts there,? McCord said. ‘I was comfortable with the country music business and decided that’s where I wanted to make my mark.?
Much of his writing is country oriented, and Nashville is one of the best places to learn it. One songwriter who took McCord under his wing was Dean Dillon, who wrote many songs for George Strait.
‘They used to say ‘all you need for a country song is three chords and the truth.? That was his (Dillon’s) basis of how he taught songwriting,? McCord said. ‘Keep it simple, but really it’s all about the focus of the story. You got to be able to tell a story and I like that style of writing.?
While trying to make it in Nashville as a ‘struggling musician,? and pay rent at the same time, McCord picked up a side job teaching karate.
Inspired by the movie ‘The Karate Kid,? he received his first-degree black belt in Tang-Su-Do and third-degree black belt in the Japanese system Wado, which means ‘the way of peace or harmony.?
‘Through teaching, I learned not only did I enjoy doing martial arts, but really enjoyed kids, and giving them a positive message, goals to work towards in their lives,? he said. ‘I was learning just as much from them as I was teaching.?
After being in Nashville six years, McCord decided it was time to ‘step off the grid? for awhile. He left his job and packed his bag and headed to Japan for a 40-day Buddhist-type pilgrimage.
‘I’m not Buddhist myself, but I like a lot of the philosophies behind Buddhism that I’ve been able to incorporate into my own life. It was probably one of the most liberating experiences I’ve ever encountered in my life, because you’re moving at such a slow pace, a snail’s pace, you have a lot of time for introspective and inward thinking.?
McCord took a train to Kyoto where he met a man by the name of Fukushima who was the head abbot at Tofukuji temple, a Zen monastery.
‘I didn’t know that he was kind of a big wig at the time, as far as the Zen monks go, he was considered pretty recognizable,? he said. ‘Not necessarily as high as the Dalai Lama, but pretty much up there.?
Upon returning to America, he went home to Pittsburgh for awhile. McCord said he had so many thoughts and ideas that he started working on a book called American Henro, which means ‘American Pilgrim.? With three fourths of it done, it’s on his list of ‘you need to finish this and self publish it.?
While home in Pennsylvania, he got to do something else he has always wanted to do, which was become a camp counselor for at-risk teens at Ekerd Youth Associations in northern New Hampshire.
‘They are for kids who have gone through the court system probably, spent time in juvenile facilities, and this is kind of their last chance before they’re going to end up in the prison system,? he said. ‘I’m very grateful I had the opportunity to participate in something like that.?
Eventually, McCord found his way to Michigan. He met a woman from Clarkston while doing some business in Boston, and after talking for awhile and visiting back and fourth, she convinced him to move closer.
‘I think Clarkston is a great town, it’s a smaller community, which is what I’m used to. That’s the kind of town I grew up in,? he said. ‘Everybody here is really friendly.?
McCord does voiceover work for radio and TV, he also works with Clarkston News Weekly, Clarkston Public Access Center television news, and is involved in Clarkston Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings. He is also program director and teacher for a Karate studio in West Bloomfield.
He also found a way to get back into music. He joined a band, formerly called Flashback. They are working on a new name and looking for gigs.
‘We’ll do Bar Mitzvahs, weddings and anything else you throw our way,? McCord said. ‘We play music from 60s 70s and 80s cover songs. It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy it.?