Billy Jeter
Billy Jeter is a Country/Folk/Rock singer and songwriter from Arkansas with family ties from the Delta across the state to the Ozark Mountains, but he also combines traditional blues, gospel and other styles for his own unique Indie Folk sound. But that is not to say Jeter breaks all the rules, he is just not pigeon-holed into one way of singing and playing, which brings more ears to any table in my opinion, as it should. His new single “Sins Of Me” covers a multitude of what are not detailed sins but indications of their presence which is enough to get his message across.
As a son of the Delta, Jeter has some rich family roots dating back to 1910 and includes working on a farm and likely provides a lifetime of great stories to sing without a doubt, and that’s only scratching the surface of where his ideas come from out of a whole family of talented people. “Sins Of Me” indicates of the miles put on the road and the miles it puts on the entertainer and the rest goes without singing, by this well weathered musical poet of sorts with a sense of soul you don’t find often enough anymore.
The words are more suggestive than blatant because that would make the song too specific to Jeter, so it is written with the true listener in mind to reflect upon with ones own meaning and that makes a song go the distance with simplicity being the key. “Sins Of Me” accomplishes that and so much more in one fell swoop, so much that even though Jeter is a seasoned vet he might not know just how good he is. It’s felt in this song as well as all of his music that he is understated that way at the very least and that humbleness is rare.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/sins-of-me-single/1524390381?i=1524390382&ign-gact=3&ls=1
“Sins Of Me” has the marks of a classic without fitting into the usual boxes that can take, but it is also just another example of what’s on the Shineye Landing album, which is a full length album that is chock full of more of the same Jeter standard of songs it’s surrounded by. The songs are all equally outstanding and the right single was chosen to get my full attention and lead me to more of Jeter’s music. I feel this knowledge only helps to appreciate the artist more, so it is recommended to also look into for more details.
What “Sins Of Me” does not do is get into any specifics of Jeter’s sins in the lyrics, but it hints at enough to get the picture and he serves the song at every single turn, which is one of the best things you can say about a piece of music of any kind. There just isn’t any way to flaw this song or Jeter and that only leaves good things to say about both at a time when everyone is down on something, therefor it is a song of hope as well as a song of redemption.
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Trace Whittaker
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
11/2020
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