♪ Oh, oh, oh, try ♪ Davis: Coming up on "Studio 3 Live," it's Jackie Venson.

♪ That work ♪ ♪ Will set you free ♪ Yeah!

Venson: I come from a musical family, so my dad was a professional musician for 40-plus years in Austin.

Got to see him lead a band.

When I got a little bit older, he would let me sit in on keyboards.

It was just right in front of my face my whole life.

♪ I live in a place where the people wonder why ♪ Davis: Funding for "Studio 3 Live" is provided by... Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, where employees from over 20 countries speak over 20 languages, is committed to enriching the lives of all Iowans by funding strong communities and diverse cultural organizations.

Learn more at prairiemeadows.com.

Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

[ Cheers and applause ] Good evening, and welcome to "Studio 3 Live."

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

Tonight we welcome Jackie Venson to the stage.

Her dazzling live shows and virtuosic skill have quickly established her as one of the rising stars in her hometown of Austin, Texas, and beyond.

Her first album, "Joy," received critical acclaim upon its release in 2019.

An industry-wide shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic only fueled Jackie's innovation and creative output, releasing several albums and building a devoted live-stream audience in 2020 that helped grow her listener base worldwide.

Jackie's music is a kaleidoscope of influences, from blues, to funk, to hip-hop, to R&B.

With an ever-present lyrical message of hope and positivity, she continues to electrify audiences across the U.S.

Please help me welcome to the stage Jackie Venson.

[ Cheers and applause ] Man: Yeah!

[ Intro to "Joy" plays ] ♪♪ Venson: How y'all doing?

Man #2: Yeah!

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Here we go.

♪♪ ♪ When it was me and you ♪ ♪ You ran away at something new ♪ ♪ Realized I had been used ♪ ♪ Now trust is hard to do ♪ Yeah.

♪ Not only tonight ♪ ♪ Give me tomorrow ♪ ♪ The work is never done ♪ ♪ It's the pill I have swallowed ♪ ♪ So I will forgive ♪ ♪ I won't take it personal ♪ ♪ There always is a choice ♪ ♪ I have made the choice ♪ ♪ I choose joy ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ Yeah!

♪♪ Yeah!

♪ Thought you were a good idea ♪ ♪ Knew I could not make it real ♪ ♪ I try to force it, make it work ♪ Yeah.

♪ Immediate crash and burn ♪ ♪ Got to leave tonight ♪ Yeah.

♪ I can't give tomorrow ♪ ♪ Short-term happiness can be long-term sorrow ♪ ♪ So I will forgive ♪ ♪ I won't take it personal ♪ Huh.

♪ Whenever I lose track ♪ ♪ It always brings me back ♪ ♪ I choose joy ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, I choose joy ♪ Yeah.

♪ Joy ♪ [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪ Another tall tale ♪ ♪ Too short to try it ♪ ♪ When you hide behind a mask ♪ ♪ I don't buy it ♪ ♪ Give me actions ♪ ♪ Not only words ♪ ♪ When it's time to stand ♪ ♪ You're in the dirt ♪ ♪ I decide, I decide ♪ ♪ My soul is not for rent ♪ ♪ I decide, I decide ♪ ♪ My dreams cannot be bent ♪ ♪ I decide, I decide ♪ ♪ Ignore the noise ♪ ♪ I decide, I decide ♪ ♪ I-I-I choose joy ♪ Yeah!

♪ All around me ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ ♪ I-I-I choose joy ♪ Yeah!

♪ Like a symphony ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ ♪ I-I-I choose joy ♪ Yeah!

♪ All I ever need ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ ♪ I-I-I choose joy ♪ ♪ All I never need ♪ ♪ Joy ♪ [ Laughs ] Yeah.

[ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah!

♪♪ [ Music ends, applause ] So that was a pretty killer introduction.

And we got Marcus Clark on bass... Man: Whoo!

Yeah!

[ Applause ] ...Rodney Hyder on drums... [ Cheers and applause ] ...Brandon Morgan on keys.

[ Cheers and applause ] My name's Jackie Venson.

Thanks so much for joining us here on Iowa PBS.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

We're gonna keep playing you guys songs off my various records.

This song is called "Keep On."

Yeah.

One, two, three.

Hey!

♪♪ ♪ I know this dance ♪ ♪ Taking this chance ♪ ♪ Damned if we do ♪ ♪ Damned if we don't ♪ ♪ Truth sets us free ♪ ♪ I need honesty ♪ ♪ Even when it frightens me ♪ ♪ And, oh, it frightens me ♪ ♪ It seems impossible, you and I ♪ ♪ And I ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Our worlds will change as soon as we try ♪ ♪ We try ♪ ♪ Try ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ High in the sky ♪ Yeah.

♪ On to the next ♪ Oh, yeah.

♪ Ride or die ♪ Oh, yeah.

♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Singing, ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Feeling, ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ Yeah.

♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ My body with his arms around me ♪ ♪ Makes me feel this way ♪ ♪ Feel this way ♪ ♪ Can't help myself ♪ ♪ My fire's burnin' ♪ ♪ I can't stay away ♪ ♪ Stay away ♪ Yeah.

♪ Now we're here ♪ ♪ There is no turning back ♪ ♪ Turning back ♪ ♪ No, no ♪ Yeah!

♪ If it's real, love me ♪ ♪ And make it last ♪ ♪ Make it last ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ High in the sky ♪ Yeah.

♪ On to the next ♪ ♪ Ride or die ♪ Yeah.

♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Singing, ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Feeling, ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Until I find someone ♪ ♪ Find someone ♪ ♪ Find someone to love ♪ ♪ I will not settle for ♪ ♪ Settle for ♪ ♪ Anything but love ♪ [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Uh, yeah.

♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ Yeah.

♪ High in the sky ♪ Yeah.

♪ On to the next ♪ Oh, yeah.

♪ Ride or die ♪ Huh.

♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Singing, ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Keep on, keep on ♪ ♪ Doo-doo, doo, doo ♪ [ Music ends ] [ Laughs ] Yeah.

Jackie, thanks so much for being here.

I'm curious -- How did you first kind of get started in music?

So my dad was a professional musician for 40-plus years in Austin.

He had a band, and when I got a little bit older, he would let me sit in on keyboards... Cool.

...'cause I was still a keyboard player at that time.

It was just right in front of my face my whole life.

I think what I got from him was, develop a skill, and if you are good at your skill, or good or better at your skill, you'll be able to make something work.

Skill is the highest commodity you can have, and that's something that my dad taught me.

[ Intro to "Surrender" plays ] ♪♪ Yeah.

This song is called "Surrender."

♪♪ Yeah.

♪ Hey, little girl, why are you so worried?

♪ ♪ Hey, little girl, just try to be happy ♪ ♪ Finding the truth can be so painful ♪ ♪ Beauty is found when light still shines through ♪ ♪ Anything, anything for the ♪ ♪ Anything, anything for the good vibration ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ Yeah.

♪ Surrender ♪ ♪ Give in to the highs ♪ ♪ Give in to the lows ♪ ♪ I surrender ♪ ♪ Whether I'm on top or climbing from below ♪ ♪ I surrender ♪ ♪ Take a deep breath ♪ ♪ Tomorrow I will know ♪ ♪ Surrender ♪ ♪ I say surrender, yeah ♪ Hey!

[ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪ Feet are so tired, but I keep running ♪ ♪ Running, running ♪ ♪ Heart is so heavy, but I keep singing ♪ ♪ Singing ♪ ♪ 'Cause I live, oh, I live for the ♪ ♪ 'Cause I live, oh, I live for the good vibration ♪ ♪ Yeah-ay-ay-ay ♪ ♪ Yeah-ay-ay-ay-ay ♪ Woman: Yeah!

♪ Surrender ♪ ♪ Give in to the highs ♪ ♪ Give in to the lows ♪ ♪ I surrender ♪ ♪ Whether I'm on top or climbing from below ♪ ♪ I surrender ♪ ♪ Take a deep breath ♪ ♪ Tomorrow I will know ♪ ♪ Surrender ♪ ♪ I say surrender, yeah ♪ [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Why must I feel this way ♪ ♪ When I know just who I am?

♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ I just want to chill all day ♪ ♪ But anxiety demands ♪ ♪ I keep ♪ ♪ Run away, run away, run away, run away ♪ ♪ Run away, run away, running away ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I will see my dreams one day ♪ ♪ My flag is in the sand ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ I will see my dreams one day ♪ ♪ They're already who I am ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ Patience is the only way ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ Now I understand ♪ ♪ Surrender ♪ ♪ Give in to the highs ♪ ♪ Give in to the lows ♪ ♪ I surrender ♪ ♪ Whether I'm on top or climbing from below ♪ ♪ I surrender ♪ ♪ Take a deep breath ♪ ♪ Tomorrow I will know ♪ ♪ Surrender ♪ ♪ I say surrender ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ [ Music ends ] Thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yeah.

Man: Yeah!

[ Intro to "Back to Earth" plays ] ♪♪ [ Birds chirping ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chirping continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chirping continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chirping continues ] ♪♪ [ Birds chirping ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ "Dance," he said ♪ ♪ Dance like you'll never dance again" ♪ ♪♪ ♪ "Laugh," he said ♪ ♪ "Laugh like you'll never laugh again" ♪ ♪♪ ♪ He died a young man ♪ ♪ But seemed an old man ♪ ♪♪ ♪ He saw not the end ♪ ♪ But a way to begin again ♪ ♪♪ ♪ So tell me once, tell me twice ♪ ♪ Tell me that I'll never die ♪ ♪ When you lie, won't you please tell me why?

♪ ♪ When you can't, then I'll search for the answers ♪ ♪ But I'll get lost and find more to wonder ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like why the dead man knows it all ♪ ♪ And why I feel alone ♪ ♪ And why I try ♪ ♪ To fly, but always fall ♪ ♪ Back to Earth ♪ ♪♪ [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Audience cheering ] [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Audience cheering, applause ] ♪♪ ♪ And when ♪ ♪ I die, I'll know it all ♪ ♪ And I accept that ♪ ♪ I am alone ♪ Yeah.

♪ And I will try ♪ ♪ To fly, but I will fall ♪ ♪ Back to Earth ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Yeah!

Davis: You mentioned that you started on piano.

Yes.

What was the moment for you to make the switch to guitar and really focus on that?

It was the end of college and I needed to get a job, and I'm pretty sure I knew I wanted to perform for a living at this time, but I didn't like anything that I was doing on the piano.

It was all sleepy and sad, and, like, I'd go to other people's shows and it was upbeat and there were solos and it was rock, and it was, like, so natural for them.

And the stuff that I did on the piano never felt natural.

It felt forced, and I didn't like that.

I didn't feel like I could really lose myself in it the way that I saw people do whenever I would go to a show.

You know?

If I went to a show of somebody like Buddy Guy or B.B.

King, they lose themselves in it, and... Yeah.

...I could not even wrap my head around losing myself in the piano.

It just didn't make sense.

A lot of your guitar lines match the vocal lines.

Yeah.

And even if you're soloing on the guitar, you're singing along.

There seems to be, like, a real connection between you and what you're playing.

Is that a stylistic choice or just something you've always kind of built up when you were -- when you were writing with guitar?

It's multifaceted.

It's actually something I started doing because I was playing in, like, terrible, like, dumpy clubs... Yeah.

...and I could not hear myself.

I couldn't hear if I was singing the right melody, if I was singing in the right key.

And so I started, um -- Whenever I would be at rehearsal with the band, I would start playing, doubling the melody to just make sure I was playing the right thing.

Singing the right thing, I mean.

And then after that utility of it, it kind of evolved into a -- I guess, a technique.

It's just a way to get the ideas out.

It's a way to think of something for it to be truly improv.

So this song is called "Alone."

This is on my new record, "The Love Anthology."

Yeah.

Here we go.

♪♪ Mm.

♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪ And I am doing fine without him ♪ ♪ Found my peace of mind without him ♪ ♪ But I need to heal my heart ♪ ♪ If I want a new start ♪ ♪ Myself, I need to find ♪ ♪ I want to take the time ♪ ♪ I know that I should not rush ♪ Yeah.

♪ Love comes when you do not push ♪ ♪ I know that I should not rush ♪ ♪ I need to be alone ♪ Yeah!

♪ Never doubted myself before him ♪ ♪ But I surrendered myself to him ♪ Yeah.

♪ Now I recognize ♪ ♪ That I need to love mine ♪ ♪ Myself, I need to find ♪ ♪ I want to take the time ♪ ♪ I know that I should not rush ♪ Yeah.

♪ Love comes when you do not push ♪ ♪ I know that I should not rush ♪ Yeah.

♪ I need to be alone ♪ ♪ And if I find a new man ♪ Yeah!

♪ I'll ask him what he'll do for me ♪ Hey!

♪ Will he add to my life ♪ Ah!

♪ What I have been missing?

♪ Yeah.

♪ And if I find a new man, yeah ♪ ♪ I'll tell him he can't change me, no ♪ Hey!

Hey!

♪ 'Cause I know that I am enough ♪ I am enough.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

♪ I am all that I need ♪ ♪♪ [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I need to be ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ ♪ I need to be ♪ [ Scatting ] Yeah.

♪ I need to be ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ Hey.

♪ I need to be ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Laughs ] One more, one more.

♪ I need to be ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] [ Laughing ] Yeah.

Here we go.

Yeah?

Oh, yeah.

[ Intro to "Destruct" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ah-ah-ah ♪ ♪ My whole life has changed ♪ ♪ Just overnight ♪ ♪ I don't know who to be ♪ ♪ I don't know what to seek ♪ ♪ Memories rushing in ♪ ♪ They blur my sight ♪ ♪ I laugh so I don't cry ♪ ♪ I laugh so I don't cry ♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪ Though he's on his knees ♪ ♪ I still say goodbye ♪ ♪ Such bigger things at hand ♪ ♪ He cannot understand so he ♪ ♪ Self-destructs, self-destructs, self-destructs ♪ ♪ So he self-destructs, self-destructs, self-destructs ♪ ♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ ♪ Heal these scars ♪ Yeah.

♪ And from him, I will run so far ♪ ♪ Run so far, run so far, run so far ♪ ♪ Run so far that I ♪ ♪ Can't recollect ♪ ♪ And when I see his face ♪ ♪ My heart won't start to race ♪ ♪ He will not bring me down ♪ ♪ Although he tried ♪ ♪ I'll find a stronger man ♪ ♪ Who takes my hand so I don't ♪ ♪ Self-destruct, self-destruct, self-destruct ♪ ♪ I don't self-destruct, self-destruct, self-destruct ♪ Yeah.

♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ ♪ Heal these scars ♪ Yeah.

♪ And from him, I will run so far, run so far ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Run so, run so far ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Run so, run so far ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Run so, run so far ♪ ♪ All of the things I have sacrificed to be who I am ♪ Yeah.

♪ All of the things I have sacrificed to be where I am ♪ ♪ All of the things I have sacrificed to follow my dreams ♪ Yeah.

♪ All of the things I will sacrifice to follow my dreams ♪ ♪ And I'm moving on ♪ ♪ On ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm moving on ♪ ♪ On ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm moving on ♪ ♪ On ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm moving on ♪ ♪ On ♪ ♪♪ -Whoo!

-Whoo!

Venson: Yeah!

♪♪ Yeah!

♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ ♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ Yeah.

♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ ♪ So I don't self-destruct ♪ ♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ ♪ All I want is to heal these scars ♪ ♪ So I don't self-destruct ♪ ♪ All I want is to hear these scars ♪ ♪ So I don't self-destruct ♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] [ Intro to "Rollin' On" plays ] ♪♪ Man: Yeah!

♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Do you hear that, baby?

♪ ♪ That's the sound of time rollin' on ♪ [ Chuckles ] ♪♪ ♪ Do you hear that, baby?

♪ ♪ That's the sound of time rollin' on ♪ [ Humming ] ♪♪ ♪ You wake up in the morning ♪ ♪ Before you know, the evening's already gone ♪ ♪♪ Yeah!

♪ Are you sure you hear that, baby?

♪ ♪ 'Cause I hear it every day ♪ ♪ Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo ♪ ♪ Doo-doo, doo, doo ♪ ♪ Unh-unh, unh, unh-unh-unh ♪ ♪ You don't act like you hear that, baby ♪ ♪ 'Cause for me, I can't get away ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Doo-doo ♪ ♪ Unh-unh, unh-unh, unh, unh ♪ ♪ The more you choose to ignore it ♪ ♪ The faster you'll reach your dying day ♪ Talk to us, Brandon.

[ Keyboard solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Woman: Whoo!

♪♪ Man: Yeah!

We got Brandon Morgan on keys.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Laughs ] ♪ How do you live ♪ ♪ Knowing each moment could be your last?

♪ [ Humming ] ♪ Da-da-day-doo ♪ ♪ Unh-unh, unh-unh-unh, unh ♪ ♪ Some people drink, some people smoke, yeah ♪ ♪ All to run away from this fact ♪ ♪ Run away from this fact ♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

[ Laughs ] ♪ No matter how you choose to do it ♪ ♪ That old clock is always on your ♪ ♪ Your back, yeah ♪ Man: Whoo!

♪♪ [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Time keeps rollin' ♪ Hey!

♪ Time keeps rollin' on ♪ ♪ With or without you, baby ♪ ♪ With or without you, baby ♪ ♪ Time keeps rollin', yeah ♪ ♪ Time keeps rollin' on ♪ ♪ With or without you, baby ♪ Ha!

♪ With or without you, baby ♪ ♪ Time keeps rollin' ♪ [ Laughs ] ♪ Time keeps rollin' on ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Man: Oh, my!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Not necessarily coming out of the pandemic, but back into touring, you continue to utilize streaming and you release a lot of kind of live albums, things like that.

Mm.

How have you figured out kind of what all the puzzle pieces of your music career look like for you?

A lot of trial and error.

Just as many things have worked, twice as many things haven't.

People are like, "Oh, yeah, the goalpost always gets moved."

I'm like, "What goalpost?"

Yeah.

[ Laughing ] Yeah.

There is no goalpost.

It's like, it's... it's a moving target and there's no end.

The road goes on forever and the party never ends.

[ Intro to "Always Free" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I live in a little house on the side of the street ♪ ♪ Where the grass is dead, but they water the concrete ♪ ♪ In the summer, I watch the people float by ♪ ♪ In the winter, I watch them weep and cry ♪ ♪ I live in a little house on the side of the street ♪ ♪ I live in a little house on the side of the road ♪ ♪ Where the people starve just to feed their cars and boats ♪ ♪ In the fall, the men, they stomp and shout ♪ ♪ In the spring, the women frolic about ♪ ♪ I live in a little house on the side of the road ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, try ♪ ♪ To believe ♪ ♪ That work ♪ ♪ Will set you free ♪ Yeah!

♪ Only wise men see that we were ♪ ♪ Always free ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I live in a place where the people wonder why ♪ ♪ Why the grass is always greener on the other side ♪ ♪ In the day, they go to work and wait ♪ ♪ In the night, they drink their fears away, I ♪ ♪ Live in a place where the people wonder why ♪ Yeah!

♪ Oh, oh, oh, try ♪ ♪ To believe ♪ ♪ That work ♪ ♪ Will set you free ♪ Yeah.

♪ Only wise men see that we were ♪ ♪ Always ♪ ♪♪ Yeah.

♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Ah.

♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Man: Whoo!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, try ♪ ♪ To believe ♪ ♪ That work ♪ ♪ Will set you free ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, try ♪ ♪ To believe ♪ That work ♪ ♪ Will set you free ♪ Yeah!

♪ Only wise men see that we were ♪ ♪ Always ♪ -Whoo!

-Whoo!

All right, Brandon, show us what true freedom looks like.

[ Keyboard solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Man: Whoo!

Yeah!

Come on!

♪♪ Man #2: Yeah!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] We got Brandon "Captain" Morgan over there.

Woman: Ow!

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪ We were always free ♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends, cheers and applause ] Where do you pull inspiration for your songwriting?

Is it personal stories, kind of your own experience, or more universal themes?

Sometimes it's a little bit of all three.

It starts off as a personal experience, and then maybe I'll detail the lesson I learned from it.

You know what I mean?

And maybe that'll help somebody else going through the same thing, so... That's what Yeah.

music's supposed to do.

It's supposed to heal and bring us together.

What's next for you?

What's kind of on the horizon?

Same stuff, different year, you know?

Touring, streaming.

Just kind of waiting for weird little, fun, little blessings to happen to me, you know?

[ Intro to "Make Me Feel" plays ] ♪ Ahh, ahh, ahh ♪ ♪ And so now the story goes ♪ ♪ I fall in love ♪ ♪ Floating free in outer space ♪ ♪ I'm always falling ♪ ♪ Day by day, I'm in the clouds ♪ ♪ My faith is blinding ♪ ♪ Even though I know it's love ♪ ♪ It still feels new ♪ ♪ It still feels new ♪ ♪ You make me feel so good ♪ ♪ So good ♪ ♪ Don't know what I'd do without you ♪ ♪ Without you ♪ ♪ You make me feel so good ♪ ♪ So good ♪ ♪ And I never wanna be without you in my life ♪ ♪ In my life ♪ ♪ There's a line that separates ♪ ♪ Good from crazy ♪ ♪ It's very fine, but I have learned how to navigate ♪ Yeah.

♪ I fell in love and I fell hard ♪ ♪ So let it take me ♪ ♪ Life is here for me to live ♪ ♪ So I will live ♪ ♪ You make me feel so good ♪ ♪ So good ♪ ♪ Don't know what I'd do without you ♪ ♪ Without you ♪ ♪ You make me feel so good ♪ ♪ So good ♪ ♪ And I never wanna be without you in my life ♪ ♪ In my life ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I don't care what they say ♪ ♪ They will go theirs and I will go my way ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I don't need to explain ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ I will not try to quantify, this is God's language ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And I will sing, oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ I will spread love's comfort and healing ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Audience cheering ] [ Guitar solo ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ He has given his hand to me ♪ ♪ I will do the same ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ I will do my best by him ♪ ♪ I will not give up ♪ ♪ Not give up ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Even in our darkest hours ♪ ♪ I'll stand by his side ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him, walk with him ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ [ Vocalizing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ ♪ Walk with him ♪ [ Music ends ] Thank you so much.

My name's Jackie Venson.

[ Cheers and applause ] Davis: "Studio 3 Live" is also available as a podcast.

Get it wherever you get your podcasts.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Funding for "Studio 3 Live" is provided by... Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, where employees from over 20 countries speak over 20 languages, is committed to enriching the lives of all Iowans by funding strong communities and diverse cultural organizations.

Learn more at prairiemeadows.com.

Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

♪ Oh, oh, oh, try ♪ Davis: Next time on "Studio 3 Live," it's Jackie Venson.

♪ That work ♪ ♪ Will set you free ♪ Yeah!

Venson: I come from a musical family, so my dad was a professional musician for 40-plus years in Austin.

Got to see him lead a band.

When I got a little bit older, he would let me sit in on keyboards.

It was just right in front of my face my whole life.

♪ I live in a place where the people wonder why ♪ ♪♪