NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Nashville native Jet Jurgensmeyer has been performing all his life. At age 19, his resume is longer than that of many who are three times his age. Jurgensmeyer has been acting since he was a small child and has recently done a lot of voice-over work. He can be seen in everything from Last Man Standing to Bubble Guppies.
When I met Jurgensmeyer at the 2024 Country Radio Seminar, I discovered that his passion for singing and songwriting may almost be greater than his affinity toward acting. Growing up in Nashville, his parents are the former owners of the Nashville Palace, a long-time popular music venue across from the Opryland Hotel and Grand Ole Opry.
Jurgensmeyer was raised in country music but branched out into acting at age three. By age five, his family was making regular trips to Los Angeles.
He is also a true ranch hand, often tending cattle on the family farm in Missouri when his grandpa needed him.
The 19-year-old has been releasing music since 2019. Before his voice even changed, he had a hit song, “A Lot More Love,” that proved that he could irrefutably add “Country Music Singer” to his list of achievements on his resume.
When COVID happened, he was a young teen, but he considered it a “blessing in disguise” as it gave him extra time to focus on his music.
In 2022, Jurgensmeyer released the album Phase 1: Discover. Written during his early teens, the record chronicles the thoughts and ideas that kids of that age group would have. With a voice reminiscent of a young Justin Bieber, the songs “Compassion” and “Fast Forward” resonated with his fans.
When I spoke to the singer/songwriter in March, I knew he was working on The Ride: phase 2, and I wanted to feature him/the record when it came out. Whereas the songs from Discover are about viewpoints that many young teens have, with The Ride, all the songs are connected to him and what he thinks and has experienced.
He explained, “I used this album almost as a therapy session. I just opened myself up and became as vulnerable and as real as I could with the audience so that people could really get to know me and see who they were listening to because I think that’s the most important thing and the most amazing thing about music is that you can bring people together with it.”
The Ride: phase 2 comes on the heels of several single releases, with Jurgensmeyer’s most recent release, “Good Days.” Written alongside songwriter Andrew Rizzuto, “Good Days” encapsulates a complex emotional journey that many individuals experience in relationships, acknowledging the difficulties but also the importance of understanding in navigating the ups and downs of romantic partnerships. Jurgensmeyer collaborated with producer Dan Frizsell, bringing this track to life. The album release also follows his other releases, including “Coffee Bar,” and “All I Need.”
Some dismiss a teenage boy who claims to have such deep thoughts and feelings. But he explained, “If this album’s going to be me opening up and letting people hear what I’m going through, I’m going to be as real and brutally honest with them. With songs like ‘Bones’ or even ‘Six Strings,’ those songs are calling out people who think that I don’t have the right to have those emotions.”
Besides his music and acting career, Jurgensmeyer credits his faith for making it through life. You can hear references to a higher power when he composes his songs.
He said, “I’m just a regular 19-year-old dude that gets to write songs for a living. And if I’m just a regular guy that experiences the same things, then I’m going to write about all those same things that everyone’s going through.”
“Falling Too,” is Jurgensmeyer’s biggest hit and fans of all ages can relate. Everyone will recall their first love hearing Because you got me tangled up and tongue-tied baby/ You got your hand in mine making me go crazy/ I’m not ready to say it maybe you don’t feel the same but if you do/ Then tell me you’re falling too. You may experience these feelings when you are young, but you will fondly remember them when you are older.
The Ride: phase 2 is a collection of 11 songs that encapsulate Jurgensmeyer’s unique sound of country, rock, and pop. It showcases his versatility, depth, and raw talent. Jurgensmeyer was born to perform, but despite his success, he hasn’t forgotten who he is and where his talent comes from.
Visit Jurgensmeyer’s official website, Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with his latest projects and upcoming releases.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.
