‘Hooked’ - Jeff Stauffer - review

Jeff Stauffer was brought to my attention by Ronnie Maemo, of the Front Porch Media Management Group, and I'm glad they did! Jeff is an exciting talent who has a great voice. The combination of Jeff’s contemplative songwriting and rich, deep vocals has created a unique country sound that captures the hearts and emotions of the listeners.

Jeff is the creator of TikTok Series “Country Song Intros You Recognize Right Away” Not only a singer-songwriter but also a mixing engineer, a mastering engineer and

an instrumentalist.

Since starting to follow Jeff, he has also released Country covers of Britney Spears' 'Baby One More Time' and Meghan Trainer's 'Made You Look'. Take a look at his socials and follow his music for much, much more!

Back to the song in question... and it's definitely going to get you 'Hooked' on his sound and on Country music. 'Hooked' is part of his self titled album released 22nd October 2022, including other hits such as 'Gone, but not forgotten' and 'Are You Thinking 'bout Me'.

Jeff tells me how he loves the outdoors, and grew up hunting and fishing with his family, so wanted to write a song that captured the emotions and feelings of these experiences. He says "the song is really just a literal story about my "growing-up-years" and my love for the outdoors"

Jeff continues, explaining how the title just came to him, and it wasn't until finishing writing the song did he realise its double meaning (fishing reference and being addicted to something).

Personally, the song and the title almost reference highlights of life. Starting with a Country Rock guitar, it gives off a great vibe to begin with.

"I shot my first whitetail when I was only five years old" Whilst clearly a hunting reference, this could be a reference to a first love and shooting Cupid's arrow.

The chorus reads as follows:

"And I was hooked on the feeling of a hunt out in the field.

Hooked on and afternoon in a boat with a rod and a reel.

It's a feeling you can't get on the TV or in a book,

The first taste of the outdoors and I was hooked"

Quite a clear picture is portrayed, but perhaps this represents independence, and the individual sense of accomplishment. Indeed accomplishing a skill, a task isn't something that can satisfied by just watching or reading, it's in its practice application where we are immersed in our own development. Once we accomplish that task we feel great, a buzz, and we want to continue feeling this hit of endorphins.

"I can still remember the feeling of that small mouth on the line. It felt like a great white shark; I was reeling for my life. Now when I grab a fishing pole im reminded of that day, I feel like a kid again, oh yeah I gotta say."

Inevitably we can recall and recount our successes and victories, sometimes feeling bigger than others may perceive. No matter how well we feel we've done, there is an inner drive to want more, and the bridge epitomises this. "No matter how many fish or deer are hanging on my wall, I'm still out on the lake or in the woods all year long."

Be sure to give Jeff a follow on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@jeffstauffermusic his Instagram at https://instagram.com/jeffstauffermusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= and follow him on which ever music streaming services you use.