Jess Woodland is in the midst of her second act – one she never planned. Armed with wisdom collected from a long hiatus from making music, the Americana singer-songwriter is ready to share what she’s learned.

The daughter of a three-time national harmonica player, Woodland grew up in Nashville, attending jamborees and festivals in the Appalachian mountains. Her childhood was soundtracked by the music her parents loved – classic rock of the 70s, country singer-songwriters like Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash, and the hymns from her dad’s records. Despite the inherent twang in her voice, Woodland shied away from the bluegrass world, afraid of not being accepted for her more alternative look. Discouraged by Nashville’s saturated music scene and feeling out of place in every genre, Woodland began to see a solo career for herself as a pipe dream.

Thus began a seven-year-long hiatus from making music, during which Woodland also began a battle with chronic illness. By 2022, her declining health left her feeling like she had nothing left to lose. Mustering her physical and mental strength, Woodland found the courage to try writing original music again. With nothing left to lose, she shared that music online for the first time since her hiatus, embarking on a new chapter illuminated by hope.

Embracing the bluegrass tendencies she once avoided, Woodland found a new audience for her soulful roots songs about perseverance, heartbreak, and accepting the good with the bad. Teaming up with producer Mike Eli LoPinto, Woodland began recording what would become her debut EP High Road release. On her breakout single “The Show,” Woodland is defiant in the face of hardship: I’m made of anger more than I am skin and bone / And every time I fall, strong and tall, do I grow? In the vein of young breakthrough roots artists like Sierra Ferrell and Tyler Childers, Woodland gives a fresh take on a genre she once thought was not meant for her.