Jake Dodds is coming back to Seymour.
The Unionville native will perform a free show from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday as part of the Seymour CityJam summer concert series at the JCB Pavilion at Crossroads Community Park in the 100 block of East Tipton Street in downtown Seymour.
This will be the third show of the summer. Food and drinks will be available for purchase starting at 6 p.m., and sponsors of Seymour Main Street’s summer concert series will have tents set up with information, giveaways and an opportunity to win prizes. Sponsors are JCB, Voss and Sons Funeral Service and The Tribune in partnership with Schneck Medical Center and CPR Cell Phone Repair.
In 2018, Dodds was the featured act for the second show of the series, and it was the first concert at the new park’s covered stage.
“I felt a little guilty last year being the first and not being a Seymour resident honestly, but I’m no stranger,” he said. “I’m an Indiana boy through and through from just up the road a ways in Unionville. It was wonderful, and I hope I can accomplish enough that someday they’ll brag about us being the first to play at Crossroads.”
Dodds made such an impression that after the show, members of the committee asked him to come back this year.
“We all just had such a good time. They have a wonderful team putting on CityJam and are wonderful to work with,” he said. “CityJam was such a blast last year. Any time you’re playing something new like that as an artist or even as an event in a new location, you are worried about turnout. We had a wonderful turnout, and everyone was so nice.”
Dodds also was the first country artist to play at CityJam. He had previously been to Seymour playing shows at Brewskies Grub and Pub, the Jackson County Visitor Center and Seymour Oktoberfest. His connections with the Oktoberfest board helped him get in the CityJam lineup last year.
For those attending Thursday’s show, Dodds said they can expect a fun atmosphere.
“It’s country music, but even those who say they don’t like country usually tell me they had a great time at the end,” he said. “I’ll play my songs and some cover songs. It’s fun. It’s not my dog ran away country, but I’d argue there is nothing wrong with that, either.”
By the show’s end, he said he wants people to feel like it was worth their time.
“We are all so busy these days with life and everything that goes on,” Dodds said. “I take my job as a steward of people’s time seriously and always want to put on the best show we can, but you know it’s a good time. I don’t think it’s much deeper than that. It’s just good fun.”
Dodds said he and his crew travel across 21 states and play 170 shows a year, and his last EP, “Have a Drink with Me,” went as high as No. 48 on the iTunes country albums.
He hopes to release new music soon.
“I’m finally writing again for what I hope will be a more home-based album of new songs and really focusing on just writing songs that are true to me and my experience,” he said. “Hopefully, there is something there everyone will be able to relate to. Otherwise, touring all over the country out of a van and trying to reach the next level. I just really hope everyone will come give us a shot at our next show.”
The seventh season of Seymour CityJam will wrap up Sept. 19 with ‘80s cover band Breakfast Club.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
What: Seymour CityJam featuring Jake Dodds
When: Thursday; food and drinks available for purchase at 6 p.m., and the free concert begins at 6:30 p.m.
Where: JCB Pavilion at Crossroads Community Park in downtown Seymour
Note: Bring chairs or a blanket for seating; air-conditioned restrooms available; sponsors of the concert series will have information, giveaways and prizes
More about the act: jakedodds.com
[sc:pullout-text-end]