Jackson Dean is proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of country music. From unforgettable performances to his hit songs, this Maryland native has found a way to stand out in a crowded field. “I want to make music till I’m dead,” Dean tells PEOPLE, and he’s serious about it.
When Jackson steps onto the stage, he gives it his all — and sometimes, he gives more than his body can handle. “I’ll push so hard sometimes that I literally black out — like when you stand up too quick,” he says. But even when it happens, Dean doesn’t stop. “Last time it happened, I spent an entire verse in the dark. Your body’s still going, and you’re like … hell, yeah!”
Fans who come to see Dean live know what to expect — pure energy, nonstop intensity, and a performance that’s unlike any other. With his powerful voice and songs that speak to a restless soul, Dean has made a name for himself in the country scene. His debut single, “Don’t Come Lookin’,” topped the charts in 2022, and there’s no slowing him down.
For Dean, making music has been his dream since he was a kid. Though he briefly thought about joining the Marines, he quickly realized that his “feelings toward authority would not add up.” But once he found music, there was no turning back.
“I was not a pretty boy,” he jokes. Growing up, he wasn’t catching footballs — he was trying to tackle them. “I was trying to kill the ball,” he laughs. “It was a clash every frickin’ play.” It’s no surprise that Dean describes his performance style the same way: full of energy and excitement. “When you step on the stage, there’s the clash of all these sounds coming together, flying through the air,” he says. “You’re making that. You are that. It’s just a wild, wild feeling. It’s so fun.”
And is performing better than, well, other “wild” experiences? Dean laughs and hesitates before answering, “That’s tough… but sometimes, when it’s proper … yeah. Yeah.”
Dean’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He’s committed to making music his whole life. “I want to make music till I’m dead,” he says, showing that he’s in it for the long haul.
Before Dean hit it big, he was just a high school kid with a love for singing. He got his first taste of what his voice could do when he was asked to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at his final football game. The video of his performance went viral, launching his career and landing him an appearance on Steve Harvey’s TV show. It wasn’t long before Dean found himself in Nashville, working on his music.
By 22, Dean was a chart-topping star, thanks to hits like “Don’t Come Lookin’” and “Fearless (The Echo).” His debut album, Greenbroke, and his follow-up album, On the Back of My Dreams, earned rave reviews and solidified his place in the country music scene.
One of his latest songs, “Heavens to Betsy,” has become a fan favorite. It’s a story about a deceased man sending a message to his daughter from beyond the grave, and it’s unlike anything else on country radio right now. “I started playing it to kill time on radio tour,” Dean explains. “I didn’t think they’d like it, but I played it anyway, and it worked.”
The song’s success has shown Dean that telling a story is what truly connects with his fans. “People will put themselves in the shoes of the song,” he says. “To see their own story in it — that’s the purpose of all this.”
Even though Dean’s career is taking off, he hasn’t lost sight of what’s important. He’s not in this for the fame or the money. When he was just 13, his family lost their home to a fire, and Dean knows better than anyone that material things can vanish in an instant. “It can be gone like that,” he says, snapping his fingers. “This material world is just here and now.”
Instead of spending his money on luxury, Dean puts it right back into his career. “Just keep this show on the road, baby!” he says with a grin. He lives with his girlfriend and their dog in a rustic cabin outside Nashville, and he enjoys working with his hands, from leatherwork to woodburning. Recently, he even made a woodburned guitar for Lainey Wilson as a thank-you gift for taking him on tour.
And while his career continues to rise, Dean’s goals are simple. “I definitely want to be playing stadiums one day,” he says. “I want our sound to be coming out of a stadium.” But he’s quick to add that it’s not the size of the crowd that matters. “It’s what you have to give that matters,” he says, confident that he still has a lot more to offer.
With new music coming soon — including his single “Be Your Man,” out May 9 — Jackson Dean is ready to keep rocking and rolling. The future is bright, and he’s only getting started.
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