Life & Work with Jake Mach of Glen Rock, PA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Mach.

Hi Jake, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been writing songs as long as I can remember. Before I played guitar, before I knew the notes on a piano, I was writing songs. I never thought about doing it for money (outside of every kid guitar player’s rockstar fantasy), it was just something I always enjoyed and always came naturally. Now fast forward about 15 years. When I was in the Navy I used to play on my songs on the ship, at house parties, at bonfires, etc. People would get really into them and tell me I should put them on Spotify and Apple Music so they could listen whenever they wanted. After a while I saved up enough and put together a small studio setup. I put out my first album “Songs That Got Me Here”, which everyone loved, a about 4 months later. That album put a lot of new people onto my music outside of my friends, and with my Navy contract coming to an end, it got me thinking that I might be able to play music professionally as a solo acoustic artist. So I booked a few shows for when I left the Navy to see how it went. Will I get a good reception? Will I enjoy doing it? Do I have any hidden stage fright I don’t know about? All of that got put to rest in those first couple of shows. It felt natural, not much different than playing for my friends in the Navy. And I knew after those first shows that this was something I couldn’t see myself not doing. Now I get to make a living doing something I’ve been doing for fun my whole life.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never a smooth road. Everybody has their trials and difficult times to get through, and I’m no different. The biggest struggle has been trying to fight for attention in the modern music age. We live in a world where making music is more accessible than ever, and platforms like TikTok can turn people into overnight superstars. BUT, its a fine line to walk between staying true to yourself and your music and playing into the algorithm. I’m not somebody who has a TikTok-y personality, but I try to post and promote enough that my music gets in front of more people. I’m a firm believer that authenticity will always cut through the crowd, and I do my best to put out the best music I can that’s honest to me and my values.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve always been a songwriter. I can’t remember what age I sat down for the first time and said, “I’m going to write a song,” but I can tell you those first songs were written at such a young age the lyrics didn’t make any sense. They were words alright, but there wasn’t a coherent story. Through all my years of writing, I’ve crafted a few hundred songs. I’ve written traditional country songs, I’ve written cross-genre songs, rock songs, pop songs, and many other different styles. I’ve written for myself and for others. I’ve produced my own music and have it produced by others. There’s some things that don’t replace experience, and I pride myself on using mine to work around the tough parts of a song. That comes in the form of life experiences and writing experiences. There are countless different approaches to writing, and I’ve been through more than my fair share to the point where I can’t give a definitive answer when asked “What’s your process?” What sets me apart is how I strive to write songs that pay homage to those who came before me, but also make them refreshing to hear in an age where a lot of country songs sound the same.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was all over the place. I wanted to learn guitar, learn piano, learn viola, play football, hang out with friends, etc. I was one of those kids that took an interest in just about anything and wanted to be the best I could at it all. I floated between different friend groups and always just wanted to work hard and have a good time. But the one thing everybody knew about me throughout my entire childhood: I wanted to make music. I met my friend Matt Twaddle (who is now a keys player for hire out of Nashville) in the Cub Scouts, and our interest in music led to use being in a handful of bands in elementary school to high school, and every chance I had I’d perform at talent shows, battle of the bands, or any local event that would have me. Music has always had a strong hold on me, and it was something that I’ve always been associated with.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://JakeMach.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakemachmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakemachmusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CXA27WY6fr3hZFmQech1n?si=mhWTOEcHTcCTo1F-QIjTaQ