If Americana, blues, country, and folk were personified, they’d be sitting at a bar with Jason Paulson’s bold, stop-you-in-your-tracks voice at the head of the table. Together, these elements create one of the Midwest’s most well reputed touring acts. Paulson is a singer, guitarist, band leader and storyteller who will have you on the edge of your seat if you catch him at a show.

On March 25th, Paulson’s Crow River Ramble will be released. Though it’s his third studio record, it’s Paulson’s first project to focus so heavily on his singing and songwriting roots. This time around, he’s putting down the amplifiers and picking up the acoustic guitar. One thing stays the same though- his voice and music will electrify you. This is some serious toe-tapping, jam-out music that will prep you for his even more revved-up live sets.

“There’s no AutoTune,” Paulson says of Crow River Ramble. “It’s raw. You can listen to some songs and hear our chairs squeaking. We didn’t worry about making it sound perfect — we just wanted to make it sound honest.”

Listen to “I Don’t Wanna Go Home” below. Paulson mixex gospel, jazz and rock & roll into the same package. Minnesota-based tour dates can be found on Paulson’s website and there are a lot of them. It won’t be long until he comes rolling through your town, too.

-Brenda Hillegas