New Orleans singer/songwriter Jake Smith signs with Rocketown Records

NEW ORLEANS native Jake Smith has been signed by Rocketown Records. His debut CD, 'Real', is scheduled for a July release in the US. Said to be influenced by everyone from Ray Charles to John Mayer, the singer spoke about his trials prior to signing with Rocketown, "The last two years have been pretty crazy for us. Obviously, Hurricane Katrina really messed up our way of life. After Katrina I was driving to my apartment and I was praying, 'God whatever you have for me, I'll do. I'm confused about what's happening, but I am yours.' Before I could finish the last word, a drunk driver hit me, totalling my car. A few months after the wreck, my father was diagnosed with cancer. A week later we were all shocked to find that my mother was also diagnosed with cancer, a recurrence from a bout earlier in her life. Why? I was so shaken by all of it that I didn't want to go to church, I didn't want to write music. I just wanted to sit and wait for the next bad thing to happen. Since then God has slowly brought me back to him. He truly gave me things to write about. He showed me that he is the only sure thing in this life."