Cody Jinks as been releasing albums for years, but 2016 was one to remember with success of his music and for gaining more listeners and fans. Jinks released his album I’m Not The Devil in August and it debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart, a month later he was named one of the Ten New Country Artists You Need To Know by Rolling Stone Magazine. Not too bad for a the guy from Ft. Worth, Texas who played thrash metal for years.
Jinks first started to play Country riffs on guitar with his Dad when he was 16, but by the late 90’s he was part of the thrash metal band Unchecked Aggression. The band stayed together from 1998-2003, and released an album, The Massacre Begins in 2002. When the group broke up, Jinks took a year off. He returned to the music he grew up with and started performing Country music in 2005.
Since then Jinks has had seven releases starting in 2008 with Collectors Item and Cast No Stones. His 2015 Adobe Sessions started to gain him critical praise and with that more listeners and fans. His no frills, working man’s approach to the music shines with his lyrics. No more apparent than on his title cut for I’m Not The Devil. The ballad oozes the feeling of an apologetic man who wears his feelings on his sleeve.
Jinks followed up I’m Not The Devil with a pedal steel filled cover of the 1975 Pink Floyd hit Wish You Were Here and performed in front his largest audience ever when he appeared on Conan late in January of this year.
His style of music may not be anything new. He is a throwback to the styles of Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard or David Allan Coe. But, Country radio has been filled with a pop sound for so long that artists like Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and Jinks are ready to capitalize on a shift back to the more traditional, and authentic Country music.
Jinks will be ready with his raw and heartfelt music and as he has said it before, “What’s old is new again.”
Cody Jinks will be performing along with Ward Davis and Colter Wall at the Cleveland Agora on Saturday, April 22. Showtime is 7pm. Tickets are $26 each or a 4-pack for $79 and available Here.
