Rhode Island resident Nate Jones has built himself a reputation for making extremely unique sounding music, all by himself. His most recent song "Wait For Me" will be available to stream and download next Friday, March 28^th on all major streaming platforms. In a recent interview with Jones, he states that originally the song was intended to be released at his upcoming show at the Mediator Stage in Providence, however with the COVID-19 outbreak, that may have to change. "The State is saying no more than a group of 25 people can be together, but I was planning on having 75, so that's up in the air for the minute."

The new track "Wait For Me" involves Jones playing the harmonica, acoustic guitar, and kick drum. These instruments paired all together creates a very simple and catchy melody which reminded me of music by the Tallest Man on Earth, Bob Dylan, and Billy Joel. During the song's creation, Jones states that, "One day, I just shut my phone off and put it on airplane mode because I felt bombarded by text messages and emails. I went into the studio and played this riff, and lo and behold the words just sort of came to me." He goes on to say that, "I didn't think anything of it, and then I forgot about it until a year later. I was going through my recorder and playing music for my dad when he heard the song and insisted on re-listening to it. He absolutely loved it and suggested that I go back and work on it. In a way the song seemed to write itself."

Lyrics in the song like, "Got a new identity/Now it's time to ride," and, "You gotta escape from me/Take a look inside," represent Jones changing as an artist and the importance of mindfulness. "Its about unplugging from the world" Jones says. "It's crazy how in our society we are all so interconnected and we feel like we should be able to get a hold of anyone at any time or day. We also get so caught up in the social media loop. So, this song is about connecting back to yourself. It's all about self-discovery." Jones also says that the lyrics and feeling of the song are inspired by "Embracing who you know you're becoming, even if those growing pains hurt."

Unlike his last song, "Safe As We Can" which was nominated for a 2019 Grammy for Best Rock Performance, and Best Rock Song, Jones says that creating "Wait For Me" was unplanned. "With 'Safe As We Can,' it started with a guitar riff in the wrong tuning. I had a great vision of writing a rock n' roll song with me playing all the parts. However, with 'Wait for Me' there was never a grand vision. The beauty of this song is how simple it was to create."

Over the next few months, Jones is expected to release more material and to play more shows if/when COVID-19 becomes under control. "Assuming the world doesn't end," he says, "I've got six songs that I'll be releasing month by month in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. 'Wait For Me' is the first of those songs, and with any luck I'll be releasing more in April, May, June, July, August, and September." He goes on to say, "I've thought a lot about these songs being put into an EP or album. However, because an album takes a lot of time to produce, and because I think that people have altered their listening styles, I have been thinking about a soft EP."

The tone of this eventual EP is centered around the seasons, as well as mindfulness and knowing oneself. "I've had some pretty impactful experiences at the Zen Monastery that I go to for mindfulness retreats. The themes there are of slowing down, knowing yourself, and appreciating the beauty around you, while also diving into your own emotions. It's where I hope these future songs will be taking people emotionally. I guess you could call it spiritual rock." He goes on to say, "I'm not country, I didn't grow up on a farm. I'm trying to write songs for people who have experienced what I have, and who relate to me and my experiences."

As for upcoming shows, Jones plans on performing at the Twin River Wedding Expo on April 6^th, Dan's Carriage Inn at North Kingstown on April 10^th, and The Axe bar in Lincoln on April 25^th. However due to the Coronavirus, some of those dates are subjected to change. Anyone interested in attending are recommended to stay updated by visiting each venue's websites, or Facebook pages.

Meanwhile, Jones is staying busy by creating physical artwork, which he has up for sale on his website; natejones.world. He also teaches music at the Fall River Arts Academy. Anyone interested in learning how to play guitar, drums, or piano are recommended to contact Jones via his website, or through his Facebook.

Additionally, in order to survive the quarantine and to stay busy, Jones recommends to, "Stop reading." He elaborates by saying, "Put down the books or newspapers, and shut off the TV. Go do something physical with your hands. Whether it's cleaning out an old closet, working out, or creating something. Create your own culture rather than consume the culture around you."