JacksonVegas is the brainchild of songwriter Grant Nielsen. He has been writing singer/songwriter content since he was a youth, behind the scenes of his other projects. In 2011, he decided to form JacksonVegas, whose name is derived from the “big-town/little-city” mentality of his hometown, Jacksonville, FL. Drawing from the sometimes schizophrenic cultural nature of the southern United States, he paints a bittersweet picture of the characters and events from his life. 

 

The group is lead by Nielsen on vocals and guitar, and features an illustrious selection of soulful players; including Cyrus Quaranta on keys, Adam Silk on bass, John Parkerurban on guitar, Bea Gayle on drums, Philip Pan on Violin and Cricket on backing vocals.

 

JacksonVegas’ sophomore single, “Within Your Skin”, is a haunting tune written by Nielsen, that paints a simple, but sharply worded critique of our modern vanities.

 

The original single “Some Kind of Stranger” focuses on the debate between the teaching of Evolution and Intelligent Design in the Florida public school system, a controversy so divisive that it 

promises to challenge cultures world wide for decades to come.