At 18, Jack Barksdale still has plenty of time to brush up on socioeconomics. “I’m aware that I’m young and don’t have the answers,” says the Fort Worth native. “But I do think one of the most interesting and pressing problems right now is wealth inequality and the consolidation of power and wealth among fewer and fewer entities. These issues have a lot of ripple effects across many other areas of worry.”
Wise beyond his years, Barksdale has been performing his own tunes since grade school. He’s caused quite a stir in singer/songwriter circles of late, landing a deal with Truly Handmade, a label backed by the estate of iconic Texas troubadour Guy Clark. “The Wealthy Man’s Debt” (Cloverdale), is the first standalone single from Barksdale since the June release of his LP, Voices, which features guest appearances from Sarah Jarosz and other notables. The song’s heartfelt macro perspective shows that this is a talented kid whose head is in the right place.
“As I understand it, many movements that have to do with equality have their roots in prejudice and/or poverty, which often lead to one another and can be hard to escape,” he says. “This song is my attempt to express my thoughts on the subject in a nuanced but still easily digestible way.”
We’re proud to premiere Jack Barksdale’s “The Wealthy Man’s Debt.”
—Hobart Rowland
