Jackson Dean’s fast-rising debut single is the wild-and-proud anthem of a young guy setting out on an adventure.
The song’s free-wheeling lyrics follow him to the rural landscapes of Utah, Kentucky, the Rockies and the Great Salt Plains, but offer a word of warning: When he heads out on the road, don’t bother trying to find him.
That’s a sentiment the singer comes by honestly. It dates back to his childhood, when he used to worry his mother by disappearing without a word as to where he could be found.
“‘Don’t Come Lookin’’ is something I used to say to my mom before I left the house,” Jackson tells ABC Audio. “I spent more time in the woods than I did with the humans. It’s just how I was when I was younger. Right before I would walk off, I’d just be like, ‘Mom, if I don’t come back, don’t come lookin’ for me.’”
Sarcastically, he adds, “She, as you can imagine, loved that.”
But these days, Jackson’s free-wheeling spirit is paying off. Not only has “Don’t Come Lookin’” already cracked the top thirty at country radio, but it’s featured on an episode of the hit TV show, Yellowstone.
True to form, Jackson was out on the road when he first saw the episode that featured his song. “We were in Española, New Mexico," he recounts, adding that he watched the episode “in the hotel room with a bottle of Jack Daniels” by his side.
“I was just like, ‘Whew, wow,’” the singer reflects. “It was a pretty surreal moment for me.”
Jackson’s new album, Greenbroke, is out now.