The Hoxeyville Music Festival gets unleashed once again in the Manistee National Forest later this month. Today, festival founder Jake Robinson reveals the albums that have influenced him most.
Musical Splendor in the Forest: Hoxeyville 2022 returns Aug. 19-21. (Photo/Anna Sink)
EDITOR’S NOTE: This summer, Local Spins’ ‘Albums that Changed the World’ series has occasionally featured music festival organizers as well as musicians who trace their inspiration to key recordings that shaped their careers. Hoxeyville Music Festival takes place Aug. 19-21 in Wellston. So today, we showcase the albums that influenced festival founder and musician Jake Robinson. Get links to the lineup and other festival info below.
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Jake Robinson is the man behind Hoxeyville.
The rootsy music festival takes place each year at property he owns in Wellston, or at least it did until the pandemic interrupted things.
Jake Robinson
Now it’s back, and Robinson is happy to again be presenting live music, this year including favorites like Lindsay Lou, May Erlewine, Rachael Davis, The Waydown Wanderers and headliners like Trampled By Turtles, Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters, Yonder Mountain String Band and Melvin Seals. Get weekend passes ($210 for adults) and more information online at hoxeyville.com.
Robinson originally conceived of the festival as a way to gather with some musical friends (he, too, is a musician, as well as a luthier) far from the bustle of his hometown of Kalamazoo. He soon felt the draw of the north, and moved to property he purchased west of Cadillac just south of M-55. Today the site encompasses 150 acres surrounded by the Manistee National Forest, with two stages featuring national touring artists and talent from across the state, with a capacity of 4,000.
Here are the albums that shaped his world, along with a current favorite.
1. The Band, “Music From Big Pink” (1968) – As a kid I was a big Bob Dylan fan, and that led me to The Band. It’s the spirit of Americana with soul and a storyline. It’s such a musical digression. It’s Americana, rootsy, but came out of left field. It’s got that cool Woodstock vibe.
Listen: “Tears of Rage”
2. Jimi Hendrix, “Electric Ladyland” (1968) – It was the first cassette I owned in junior high. My parents wanted me to go to sleep (at night) and I would just play it over and over and over. My friends got annoyed. I still listen to both these recordings regularly. They’re what got me inspired and energized.
Listen: “All Along the Watchtower”
3. Bob Marley and the Wailers, “Live!” (1975) – My best friend Chad and I were going to a professional waterskiing tournament, and I bought this at a Shell station in Cadillac. I just about wore it out. There’s so much good live (Marley) stuff that’s come in the last three or four years, just a bunch of great music. I’m a huge Island Records fan (the label Marley was on): The Wailers, John Martyn, Traffic.
Listen: “Trenchtown Rock”
Currently Loving: Jason Isbell, Various Albums But Especially “Southeastern” (2013) – I’m listening to a lot of Jason Isbell. His songwriting is so good. It’s sad and dark stuff. It’s hard not to (choose) his first, but “Southeastern” was so good. You listen to sad stuff when you’re happy and happy music when you’re sad.
Listen: “Cover Me Up”
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Jake Robinson’s Playlist on Spotify
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