He might’ve had his sights set on a different musical path, but the skills he honed sure come in handy today, driving the tunes of one of the coolest roots rockers on the scene.
Story by Patrick Berkery | Photos by Rick Malkin
Jason Smay was destined to hold it down for throwbacks like the roots rocker JD McPherson and the Mexican-wrestling-mask-wearing, surf-rock instrumentalists Los Straitjackets. Growing up just outside Rochester, New York, Smay leaned heavily retro in his tastes. He loved vintage hot rods and motorcycles (he remains an avid collector and tinkerer) and old-school jazz, R&B, and rock.
