Oliver John-Rodgers is American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performs under the moniker OJR. His self-produced his debut album, Nashville Demos, followed his relocation from New York to Nashville in the mid-2010’s. Independently recording and releasing his record, OJR had written an album which is an ambitious collection of songs ranging from Outlaw Country to the Indie-Folk to Brian Jones Massacre inspired Psych-Rock, and was entirely produced on the Apple software GarageBand.
“Numb,” the single from his debut album, received attention in the press and saw success at Triple A Radio, earning him opening slots with artists such as Grace Potter, Rayland Baxter, Black Angels, Liz Cooper, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Nada Surf, Galactic, Railroad Earth, and an appearance at XPoNential Festival. NPR Music said of OJR, “There’s a restlessness in his songs, a supreme desire for more than one might imagine, whatever the Good Book promised, or the human condition allows, or the American Dream offers.”
Nashville Demos Vol. 2, released on March 27, 2020, was to be followed with touring throughout the year, but with touring mostly shut down for the foreseeable future, that schedule is on hold due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Of the songs on Nashville Demos Vol. 2, “Transatlantic World (World Gone Mad),” “Sexy Music,” and “Cosmic American Blues” stand out because of the stellar musicianship, and sophisticated lyrics that resonate with his audiences. Radio is loving this record with the following stations already playing it, including KTBG, KUTX, KXT, WFUV, WNRN, WTMD, WRNR, WXPN, WFPK, and WRLT.
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