Jake Kershaw at The Franke

Jake Kershaw has accomplished more in music than someone twice his age. He has had the privilege of playing with great performers such as Jonny Lang, Tommy Emmanuel, Anthony Gomes, Larry McCray, Albert Cummings, Walter Trout, and has opened for Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Bernard Allison, Samantha Fish, Marcus King, Wayne Baker Brooks, and Tab Benoit. Jake recorded and released his first EP, “Piece of My Mind”, in the summer of 2017 when he was just 16 years old. Earlier that year he was honored with his first endorsement from Heritage Guitars as a “Young Artist”, and has since been endorsed by companies such as Lizard Spit, JobeTone pickups, Apex Strings, and Medina Made straps. Jake has also won two “Jammie Awards” from western Michigan’s WYCE radio for “Listener’s Choice: Best Album by a New Artist” and “2018 Emerging Artist of the Year”.

In 2016, Jake befriended world-renowned audio engineer Bill Chrysler, and a friendship quickly grew along with the production of Jake’s self-titled debut album, produced by Chrysler himself.

In Bill’s own words, “I have a very high barometer when it comes to contemporary guitar players. I’ve mixed thousands of live shows over the past forty years for guitar heavy artists like John Mayer, Rush, Eric Johnson, Maroon 5 and Ted Nugent to mention a small fraction of my touring career – I am extremely honored and grateful to Jake for sharing his journey with me so far. I am as proud of this recording as anything I have done in over four decades in the music industry.”

Pre-Show

Tito Villarreal

Opening in the Downstage Club at 7pm will be up-and-coming Michigan blues man Tito Villarreal.

Host or Publisher The Franke Center for the Arts