Band to shoot video at Templin Saloon

If you like a good jam band that wears their American musical roots on their sleeve, go to the Templin Saloon Saturday night and you'll definitely see one.

The Jason Lee McKinney Band, a diversified group that tours their tails off, will be shooting a video there for their upcoming album “Sacred Southern Soul.”

The group, which originally hailed from Evansville, Indiana, is now based out of Memphis, Tennessee. And they sure like to visit Texas, as you'll soon find out.

In terms of style, the band is embedded in American roots, such as traditional country, blues, soul, folk and rock-n-roll. McKinney references a musical palette that runs the gamut of genres.

“We're influenced by everyone from Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard,” McKinney said, “to Howlin' Wolf, Gary Clark Jr. and Derek Trucks to Tom Petty, Delbert McClinton and Bob Seger to Earth, Wind, and Fire and Prince.”

The band have four albums to date – Sacred Southern Soul will be their fifth. McKinney describes the record as a triple EP broken into three sections. 

“The 'Sacred' section is gospel and blues-influenced rock where we testify to our beliefs and faith so to speak. The 'Southern' section is really traditional country, two-steps and waltzes included. We love country music just not so much the modern expressions of it that reside on pop radio. Then the 'Soul' section is just that...think 70s Motown meets Prince and Stevie Ray-style blues. This is the first album where we explicitly lay out the musical ingredients that make us who we are. It has been very freeing to just let each section be its own thing without having to try and force some sort of blending of them,” he said.

McKinney says the band tours constantly, playing about 6o to 70 percent of their shows here in Texas. They have traveled with acts like William Clark Green, Zane Williams, and Walt Wilkins – as well as many others. They also play a fair number of Americana Festivals throughout the US and have played with acts like Johnny Swim, The North Mississippi All Stars, and Marshall Tucker. 

“We've played in Europe, a lot from Poland to France to Germany, and have shared the stage with the likes of The Steeldrivers and Blue Highway. This summer we're gonna be doing a tour in the middle east of US military bases to play for the troops,” McKinney said.

When asked how the band found its way to the Templin Saloon, McKinney says it was one of those chance encounters that started at KCTI and scooted down the sidewalk to the neighboring bar.

“Funny story about Templin. A few years ago we were stopping in the radio station to promote our single at the time (Strangest Places- a song that was a duet with Walt Wilkins), the radio station was a few doors down from where the building that Templin is in. James McMains, one of the owners, was actually hanging dry wall when we pulled in and asked us to come in and chat and showed us around. He asked us to play then, before the place was even open. We have played there probably five or six times through the years and love it,” he said. “Great people, great vibe, awesome pizza!”

McKinney noted that the video that's going to be shot at the Templin is going to be for the title track to the new album. The song “Sacred Southern Soul” is the album's title track.

“We still need to mix and master the new album,” he said. “The album and music video will be released next March. We're also shooting a documentary on the making of the album. We plan to record a live concert in March and release it shortly after the album, then it is off to the Middle East and Europe for the summer as well as hitting the Texas market hard. Going to be busy and should be a lot of fun!”