Check Out Ty Jacobs’ Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ty Jacobs.

Hi Ty, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was very young I began singing (age 4), I had done that for a while as well as swam and danced, I was pretty active. When I was 7 years old I got a squier guitar for my birthday but it wasn’t until I was 9 that I picked it up and tried to learn how it worked. My parents always supported me and wanted me to do what I loved to do. So as I began doing more music they started to see that that was sort of what I was gravitating towards. Quickly when I got into high school. It became clear to me that Music would be a lifelong journey, it being a language that’s understood universally as well as one I knew how to speak on multiple instruments at this point. I felt confident and I think that’s very important.

It was the confidence to start my own original band, and then the confidence to compete against myself with two other bands. One of which happened to win the 2023 Tri-C HS rock off, we opened up for Grand Funk Railroad. But I gave up going on the school of rock AllStars tour to do that. I think it’s very interesting because usually to do certain things I wanted, I had to give up or sacrifice other things I loved as well. And I didn’t learn that until I went to college…

When I went to Nashville, I found myself stunned by the wealth of knowledge but lack of experience. There’s a wide range of player no matter where your goes it seems. But to me it was more difficult to find people who truly cared about your music or project over, getting their name on a record.

During my second year I didn’t get the classes I’d hoped for in my schedule and that sort of upset me. I was there to learn how to record… having done many live shows before I’d even left for college, I had hoped to get my hands on some faders. But after 2 years still – I had yet to sit in the engineer’s infamous rolling chair.

So what was I to do? I threw shows in the meanwhile. I made cash, had parties, learned about the other sides of the luge industry in the best place to do it, and then I left. I came back to Cleveland and enrolled in Tri-C’s RAT program.

Second semester and I was already recording using real equipment; Neve, SSL, API, and more. For a fraction of the cost of Belmont I was getting a more focused education that I felt cared more about me – simply because my teacher didn’t have nearly as many students and knew that I cared enough to make the effort.

I’m still in the process of finishing my Associates in Recording at Tri-C, but while that’s going on – I’ve been gigging all around Ohio with my one of my bands “The Fretters” who have been playing weekends at Midway on High in Columbus, and are always being booked for frats, sororities, and private events around the state of Ohio.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh certainly not, everything has sacrifices… I lost the rock off twice before I won and then I won with a band I hadn’t planned on winning with. And that wasn’t a bad thing, I grew and learnt from those moments. Why did that band win I asked myself. And analyzed the performances. I wondered why my other two didn’t place.

And I realized politics has to do with many things. – I was in 3 of the 9-12 bands that were there. They couldn’t allow me to be in more than one placing band. And it’s not even about that. Because The Subliners (Who won the competition) did put on a better show!

I also struggled in Nashville, filling dates for your own shows with minimal sound equipment staffing and essential working off a dream. I was trying to inspire a team of 20 year olds to work for a party. And we did successfully put on multiple great shows which led me to do live recordings and learn to record more on my own. See all these challenges – not being in the classes I needed, struggling to find gigs, and having to make my own gigs. They all made me more self reliant. They made me learn, and make better decisions.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I make music, I play in cover bands, record as a session musician, write with songwriters and record their ideas to help build them into full fledged songs. I book gigs for myself and others and even provide sound and mixing services for live events. It’s hard work but I like to dip my toes in all areas of the audio world. Recently I’ve done a live recorded video/interview with the band “Soupless”, who played at Bonnaroo 2026. I restored audio from old tapes for a friend insuring the highest quality to be stored as a historical audio recording. And I’m probably most recently proud of helping take the cover band “The Fretters” from making $200-$400 a night less than a year ago with packed yards, to demanding $800+ guarantees and building a real network of musicians and venues/bars/connections. We recently played the National Women’s Soccer League Fan Zone which was pretty fun and paid well, and being a musician in 2026 does not usually pay well.

So overall I tend to get very proud of building something bigger than myself.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
My Instagram @its4shton is definitely my “main hub” but I’m working on a more professional website soon. I find that that’s the easiest way to get word out quickly about what’s up other than word of mouth.

If you’re looking to work together though just reach out! DM or find me at my next show. And if you want to support me:

1. Follow my Instagram…
2. Check out my original music (Change Your Mind – just released last month).
3. Come to my bands show!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its4shton
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18Q7DK9Kg2/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/TyASHTONJacobs