Jackson Michelson Grows His Fan Base With Song, 'Stay Over,' Inspired by a Dream (Exclusive)

Jackson Michelson is back at radio with "Stay Over," from his upcoming freshman album, his first on Curb Records. The song is one of many that Michelson wrote since signing with Curb Records, and was inspired by a dream he had in the middle of the night.

"This song was a real fun one," Michelson told PopCulture.com. "I wrote a hundred songs last year, and I remember the night before I wrote this song, I woke up with a dream, and I was just thinking the words 'stay over.' And, it was really weird for me. I usually don't wake up; I'm one of those annoying people that sleep through the night. I woke up at midnight, and I had this idea 'stay over." And, I didn't know what it meant, but, I wrote it in my phone, just, the note in my song ideas.

"Next day, I went in to write with two people I'd never written with, and we sat down," he continued. "I was like 'I have this idea called 'Stay Over,' about staying over and the relationship can't stay over. And, it fell out in like 45 minutes. The song just totally fell out. And, actually the vocal you hear on the track, is the vocal we recorded that day. So, it's just one of those really special songs, and it's about a relationship that can't stay over."

"Stay Over" follows Michelson's previous single, "One At a Time." Both songs are from an upcoming new project, although he isn't quite sure how many tunes will be on the record, at least not yet.

"I've got a lot of songs," said the singer. "We're kind of putting them out once a month right now, seeing how they connect. So far the the response on both of the singles has been really exciting. I think we have an upcoming EP coming out, and then working towards an album later this year."

Michelson grew up with a deep love of country music, and Curb Records, but never imagined he would one day be an artist on the iconic label.

"My whole story's a little bit backwards," Michelson maintained. "I was raised in Oregon, and I didn't even know you could move to Nashville and be a songwriter. I didn't even know that was a thing. I remember being 10 years old, and saving up lawn mowing money. I went to Walmart, and I bought my favorite singer Tim McGraw's CD. I remember looking at the back of the cd, and it said Curb Records on it. I remember, just 10 years old, being like, 'What the heck is Curb Records?' I have no idea."

Michelson increased his fans by performing up and down the west coast, up to 200 shows a year, earning attention – and airplay – from SiriusXM's The Highway, which eventually drew him attention from a few record labels, including Curb.

"Record labels started coming out to my shows," Michelson recalled. "And, I remember Mike Curb came out to a show that I played here at CMA Fest in Nashville. And, I was like, 'Curb Records, Mike Curb - you are Curb Records.' I didn't know what the heck I was doing. I was just playing music, and people were responding to it. I signed with Curb Records because it was my dream label. And, here we are, a couple years later, and starting to put music out. I'm really excited."

Michelson is also married and the father of three children, which means he is always trying to simultaneously carve out time for his family while building his career.

"That's obviously the most difficult balance," admitted Michelson. "But it's also the most amazing thing. People ask me, how I can do it, married, with three kids. And, for me, my response is, "I don't know how I could not do it, married, with three kids. My wife is my biggest supporter. She's my champion. They're the thing I write my songs about. They are my fuel to get me out on the road. I'm not gonna leave the house just to go play for no reason. I'm gonna go, and be intentional, and try to build this thing as big as I possibly can.

"I just don't know how I could do it without her and the kids," he added. We've been together since I was 15, she was 16. She's just been a champion the entire time, and my best friend. It's amazing to have a teammate like that."

Download "Stay Over" at JacksonMichelson.com.

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Mat Hayward