At 20, Jason Jackson's country music career is just warming up.

In between sets, Jason Jackson's voice is raspy, and his eyes are watery. He's playing with Saddle Rock, a country and classic rock band, in a small honkytonk in Colorado Springs, CO. He's only had three hours of sleep and is fighting allergies, but when he gets on stage you'd never know.

All night, hardworking men and women have been dancing to country music, but the floor clears and all eyes are on Jackson when he begins the second set with a couple of his original songs. "This is the first song I ever wrote," Jackson says as he sets up to play "Champions Fight" for the crowd. "My grandpa has had a battle with emphysema, and it's been really hard watching him."

He pauses, strums some heartfelt chords, and begins to sing. His voice is familiar—like a broken-in pair of boots—but sounds fresh and suprisingly strong for a 20-year-old. His ballads pay tribute to classic country music with a modern twist. He is playing small bars like this, hoping to jump-start a music career.

Jackson started playing drums at 11, singing at 12, and picking guitar at 15. Born in Reedsport, OR, a town of fewer than 5,000 people, Jackson moved to Fountain, CO, with his family at the age of 16. Within 3 months he was playing in a country band. "It's from the heart, and it's what I've experienced," Jackson says of country music. He likes it's positive messages about family, love, and hard work, and his original songs focus on these things. In 2006, Jackson recorded Living the Dream, which is a 14 song tribute to his biggest supporter: his family.

His sister, Jennifer, wrote four songs on the CD. Amber, another sister, helped train his voice. His parents, Cathy and Greg, try to watch every performance, even though his dad—a long-haul trucker—sometimes has to race home to catch a gig. “His dad and I just look at him, and we're just totally amazed that he can do what he can do,” Cathy Jackson says.

Ever since Jackson picked up drumsticks in the fourth grade, he's been practicing and impressing people. Dana Plagmann, his former music teacher, remembers that he would stay inside during recess and practice. “He just kept doing it,” Plagmann says. “I think that's what really gave him his skill—his unending perseverance.”

His endurance comes in handy during gigs that last more than four hours. He plays drums and sings vocals for more than 60 songs a night. Nearly two decades younger than his band mates, Terry Elms, Jim Abney, and Scott Haffley, Jackson holds his own. During the show, he uses his youthful exuberance to stand up and pound on the drums until his arms blur.

“When I'm on stage, I'm a different person,” Jackson says. “Whenever they're out there dancing, I have a lot of fun.” While Jackson likes playing small bars, he hopes to sign with a record label before the end of the year. No matter what, he'll keep playing.

“I don't care if it's a crowd of five people or 500,” Jackson says.

Listen to some of Jason's music!!!

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