Baker, 2001 WCHS Grad, Signs To Butler Record Label
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
It’s not unusual for Jai Baker to do five to six gigs a week, but lately the 2001 Warsaw Community High School graduate has done a bit more traveling than normal. The emerging Indianapolis country musician and his band traveled to Minturn, Colo., Feb. 4 and 5 to perform his new EP “Hold On To The Night” during the World Ski Championships. Baker headlined the post-event entertainment via an exclusive deal with the Minturn Saloon. “We got a call from a booking agent in Colorado who used to teach at Anderson University. He had heard of us and wanted us to come play, then we ended up being the main attraction,” Baker, 31, Fishers, said in a telephone interview Thursday. Growing up in Warsaw, Baker said his whole family played music. They performed as a family band at places like The Moose Lodge or The Eagles. Once he turned 18, he moved to Indianapolis to play in a rock band, which he did for five years. The band did all originals and played festivals and fairs to avoid playing cover songs in bars. In summer 2010, he decided to go back to his musical roots of playing country. “Our style is ’90s rock and country like Jason Aldean,” Baker said. The 1990s rock music his band now covers includes artists like Third Eye Blind, Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls, stuff he grew up on. But they still do originals. By switching back to his roots, Baker said it has worked out well and given him opportunities like being the opening acts for artists like Luke Bryan, Faith Hill, Justin Moore and Gretchen Wilson. Baker signed his first record deal in October with Indy Blue Entertainment, Butler University’s record label. Butler’s record label started only about two years ago, he said, and he’s the second artist to sign to it. The first act was a duo and Baker is the first full band signed to the label, he said. “It’s pretty new, it’s a new program,” he said. Students get the experience they want and need of working at a record label, and artists get students who will work hard for them, Baker said. The EP “Hold On To The Night” is set for release around Feb. 24. Baker said a man in New York is mastering the record now, so it will depend on when he finishes it. The EP contains five songs, but Baker said they will cut a full-length album at the end of the year. Everyone involved wanted to get the EP out first so they could get familiar with each other and the music. “They will shoot a music video for us in late spring,” Baker said. While he wasn’t sure which song the video would be for, he said the EP title track would probably be the first single. The music should be available on digital download sites like Spotify once it’s released, he said. Physical copies of the CD will be available mainly through his website or at live performances. Along with Baker, his band includes Mark Pay, Anderson, on lead guitar; Kevin Bonewitz, Warsaw, keyboards; Derek Felix, New Castle, drums; and Evan Mitchell, Monticello, on bass. Baker said he and Bonewitz are best friends who grew up together. Bonewitz has played in every band Baker has had since the sixth grade. Pay was a professor who ran the business program at Anderson University. “He was the first one that had a college record label. He got Jon McLaughlin his record deal,” Baker said. Baker met Felix through his previous drummer, and Mitchell is the newest band member, having joined in August. He said they’ve played everywhere from Central Indiana to Fort Wayne, Ohio to Colorado and Wabash to Nashville, Tenn. “We are able to be a little picky now,” Baker said. “We can also bump our costs now that we’re in demand. Signing to a record label has helped a little bit.” He said he would love to get up to Warsaw to play at events like the 4-H Fair or Central Park Music Series. “I think people would respond,” he said. For more information on Baker and his band, or to contact him, visit his website at jaibakermusic.com He said all his social media and contact information is available on that website. “I appreciate everyone’s support – family, friends, fans. I’m very appreciative of being able to do what I do and I love what I do,” Baker said.
