JT Trawick (JAY-TEE TRAY-WHICK)

Ozark Original

Engineer turned pot pro picks up guitar and reimagines his Americana dream.

His songs have been compared to the likes of Townes, Blaze & Prine, and, much like them, his music is rooted in the heart & soul of American folk. A fourth generation Ozark musician, JT cut his chops in a rich, self-taught family tradition of fiddling, guitar backup and harmony singing.

Imagine Willie Nelson and Randy Newman got in a bar fight, and John Prine was pouring drinks..

Music did not come early to JT. His parents encouraged him to pursue the math & science route through school. While studying pre-engineering at a local university, the music bug finally caught on. These were the days JT would be found at every bluegrass festival, square dance or fiddle contest within about a 10 hour drive of his residence. He eventually finished his engineering degree and worked in the field for a few years before giving it up to continue chasing the music.

In 2019, JT was primed to release an album featuring some of his first original songs. The group, Rowdy Mountain had been marinating in the Portland, Oregon bluegrass scene for a few years and was ready to get to work. That same year, the COVID pandemic shut the world down, and the dreams of many bands, including Rowdy Mountain. The album was released digitally on Bandcamp, but the full plans were certainly shuttered and the band went separate ways.

At this point, JT had already begun trimming and found an opportunity with other farm work which was not shut down. The engineer turned musician now turned to farming marijuana, the controversial crop that certainly has a stronghold on the west coast. During this time, JT was able to really focus on his own music and songwriting. Writing is something JT had always enjoyed, but putting it to music was a new thing. Now he found time to develop his songwriting and explored other musical forms, like the blues and hip-hop, among others.

Today, JT is primed to release his first primarily original album, Ozark Original. These 8 songs were recorded solo in his home, the same place they were composed. Intentionally raw, these recordings are meant to focus on the song and nothing else. Much like his Ozark music heroes, the album features multiple instruments and simplified arrangements and recording quality. Some of these songs may be recorded with a full band at some point, but the idea here is a token of history in a modern world. A throwback, if you will, to the days of early folklorists heading into the hills with primitive recording devices to capture the songs of the people, oftentimes in the very homes they spent their entire lives. And just like those early recordings, you will hear multiple instruments, fiddle, mandolin and even an old family song, frolicking across the home into your ears, in true Ozark fashion. Authentic Ozark originality.

Offerings include:
JT & the Mudbugs - authentic Texan swing & original Ozark country, a true Americana dance band
Rowdy Mountain - down from the mountain traditional & original bluegrass
Solo/Duo/Trio customized ensembles availablle