Jake Hoot's "Dangerous Thing," premiering today via Wide Open Country, joins prior originals "Better Off Without You" and "Tennessee Strong" in proving him to be the right country singer to cut his own Nashville co-writes.
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Hoot's first place finish on Season 17 of NBC's The Voice was dominated by cover songs, which limited self-expression for Kelly Clarkson's on-screen protege. That's not to sully the role covers play in the development of country music artists. Pretty much anyone you could name cut their teeth playing covers on Lower Broadway or around college towns. That element of Hoot's budding career just happened to play out on national television.
Fans of the Team Kelly lifer will feel even more connected with Hoot the singer/songwriter than Hoot the competition show contestant after getting lost in a song that, despite containing elements of Ronnie Milsap's pop-country love songs, was co-written with Dave Pahanish (Jimmy Wayne's "Do You Believe Me Now," Toby Keith's "American Ride") and Dillon Dixon (a collaborator with Milsap and The Eagles' Don Felder, by chance) as a homage to country-infused rock.
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"Dave had kind of put most of it together," Hoot says. "We came in and helped him finish the song. We helped write the verses and whatnot. But I think when we were writing it, I love anything Eagles. I think when we wrote it, we kind of had that in mind with a lot of the guitar licks and harmonies and stuff that go in it. It kind of has a Chris Young vibe to it, too. It's got an older country-slash-rock 'n' roll feel to it, and I'm excited for everyone to hear it."
The song and a few more to follow cross Hoot's appreciation for The Eagles and other classic acts with his admiration of The Voice duet partners Little Big Town, like-minded country boy Luke Combs and Team Blake's head honcho Blake Shelton, creating something familiar yet fresh for fans of different styles or eras of country music.
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