Willie Jones Makes Quarantine Feel Like Vacation in ‘Back Porch’

Chill-country pioneer Willie Jones gets some fresh air on the grooving new single, “Back Porch,” a stepping-out jam that’s perfect for the quarantined times.

All about how things are better on the back porch — the sweet tea is sweeter, the breeze is cooler and the grass is greener — it makes the other side of your house seem like a destination vacation … which is good since that’s as far as most people can go. Jones backs his heavy-vibing vocal with crisp hip-hop beats and bright acoustic melodies, expertly infusing his country with laid-back R&B. The Louisiana native says he was in a low spot personally when the track was born, but like folks everywhere are finding out, time spent outside picked up his spirits.

“Honestly, my porch back in my home town Shreveport, Louisiana,” Jones says of his favorite back porch to relax on. “It has a lot of space, a lot of grass, and a lot of trees. I grew up there so I have so many memories on that porch. All it’s missing is a jacuzzi and a pool and giant sculptures. But hey, as long as the sun was out, we got some drinks and we got the space, then we’d always get the vibes.”

After first turning heads as a contestant on The X Factor in 2012, Jones has ramped up his career over the past year, releasing tracks like “Down For It” and the Nashville-centric “Bachelorettes on Broadway.” He also opened for Dwight Yoakam at the famous Ryman Auditorium last fall, and is working toward his full-album debut.