Ingram was born in Houston, Texas. He started writing songs and performing while studying psychology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he was member of Alpha Tau Omega.
Jack Ingram began his music career singing at a privately owned bar near the TCU campus of Fort Worth, Texas, which was owned by his friend John Clay Wolfe. Later, during the early 1990s, Jack toured the state of Texas opening for Mark Chesnutt and other acts. His first release was his self-titled album in 1995 via the Rhythmic label, followed by 1995's Lonesome Questions. Warner Bros. Records eventually signed him and released a live album entitled Live at Adair's, and re-issued his first two indie albums.
In 1997 he had his first and only time on the 22nd season of Austin City Limits. That same year, he released Livin' or Dyin' via Rising Tide Records, which produced his first chart single in the No. 51-peaking "Flutter". Two years later came Hey You via Lucky Dog, a division of Epic Records, which accounted for a No. 64 country single in "How Many Days". In 2000, he collaborated with Charlie Robison and Bruce Robison for the live album Unleashed Live.
Electric, his second album for Lucky Dog, was also his first album to enter Top Country Albums, despite not producing a chart single. This album was supplemented a year later by an EP entitled Electric: Extra Volts before he left Lucky Dog. Two more live albums followed before he signed to Columbia Records for the release of Young Man in 2004, which accounted for no singles. Another live album, Acoustic Motel, was issued in 2005.
On Sunday, February 3, 2013, H-E-B premiered their 'Texas Myths' Super Bowl commercial featuring Jack Ingram.
In 2005, Ingram signed to the independent record label Big Machine Records. Under the Big Machine banner, Ingram released a predominantly live album entitled Live: Wherever You Are. His first single release on that record label, "Wherever You Are", became Ingram's first top 40, and later his first Number One single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, as well as the first Number One for the Big Machine label. "Love You", the only other studio track on Live: Wherever You Are, was also released as a single, peaking at No. 12 on the charts. This song was also recorded by Trent Summar & the New Row Mob (whose frontman, Trent Summar, co-wrote it) on their 2005 album Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. This is also where he met famous country music artist Taylor Swift. Jack stated they were developing a relationship though she wasn't interested.
In late 2006, Ingram released a cover of Hinder's song "Lips of an Angel". Ingram's cover peaked at No. 16 on the country charts "Lips of an Angel" was the lead-off single to This Is It, his second album for Big Machine. This album also produced the No. 18 "Measure of a Man" (a Radney Foster co-write) and the No. 24 "Maybe She'll Get Lonely".
In 2008, Ingram appeared at the Argyle Education Foundation Black Diamond Affiar.
He won the Academy of Country Music award for top new male vocalist on May 19, 2008. Ingram also filled in for radio host Bob Kingsley on the countdown show "Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40" for the week of September 20–21, 2008.
According to CMT, Ingram's Big Dreams & High Hopes album has "more guts" and Ellis Paul's "The World Ain't Slowing Down" may be the song that takes Ingram to the "next level". Ingram says "It'll be fun for me to expose people to a fantastic song from an artist who's had a 20-year career of being a very successful folk artist." The song was cut from the album. Its lead-off single "That's a Man" charted in the Top 20, followed by "Barefoot and Crazy," which became his second Top 10 hit. The album's next three singles all failed to enter the Top 40: "Seeing Stars" (a duet with Patty Griffin), "Free" and a re-recording of "Barbie Doll" with guest vocals from Dierks Bentley.
On August 26, 2009, Ingram set a Guinness record for the most radio interviews in one day, when he was interviewed 215 times.
Ingram and Big Machine amicably parted ways in late 2011.
As a sideline, Ingram does voice imaging for a number of country stations, including KRYS-FM Corpus Christi; WSIX-FM Nashville; WMIL-FM Milwaukee; KWJJ-FM Portland, Ore.; and KSCS Dallas.
In 2013, Jack teamed up with actor Matthew McConaughey and University of Texas at Austin football coach Mack Brown to create a fundraiser for their favorite children's charities. Dubbed Mack, Jack & McConaughey, the affair was held April 11–12 at Austin's ACL Live at the Moody Theater and featured a gala, golf tournament, fashion show and two nights of music. Mack, Jack & McConaughey returned in 2014.
One Thing
Jack Ingram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to be so blue
Now the only thing I talk about
The only thing I do
Is spin around like a school kid
Just off the merry-go-round
I'm dizzy but it's 'cause I'm headed
To the one good thing I've found
[Chorus]
One thing as good as gold
I'm nothing without you to hold
One thing I know in this world
Is I need you to be my girl
I got so good at hiding
I couldn't find myself
Ya but baby you got me smiling
And feeling like someone else
Yeah you changed my makeup
I ain't the same sad clown
Ya ever since you showed up
Hey this ain't the same sad town
[Chorus: x3]
Be my girl
You're the one thing
You're the one thing
You're the one thing.
Jack Ingram's song "One Thing" talks about how the singer had been sad and down but things changed when he found love, and now he can't stop talking or thinking about it. The first verse highlights how his life had been, how he used to be sad all the time and how he boasts about his love after finding it. He compares himself to a school kid spinning around, dizzy but happy, and says it's because he's found someone to love. The chorus is the refrain of the song and reiterates the importance of love, how it's the only thing that makes his life worth living, and he can't live without it.
The second verse talks about the transformation that love brings into a person. The singer says he had become very good at hiding, so much so that he had lost his identity, but now he has found himself again. He credits his newfound happiness entirely to the one he loves, who has changed him like makeup. He says he is no longer the same sad clown he was and neither is the town he lives in. It's a subtle way of saying the presence of the one he loves has brought a change in him and his surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to be so down and out
I used to be extremely sad and hopeless
I used to be so blue
I used to be very depressed
Now the only thing I talk about
The only topic I discuss is
The only thing I do
The only thing I focus on is
Is spin around like a school kid
I feel so elated that I am like a child spinning around
Just off the merry-go-round
I feel like I just got off a merry-go-round
I'm dizzy but it's 'cause I'm headed
I feel dizzy, but it's because I'm heading
To the one good thing I've found
To the one thing that gives me joy and purpose
One thing as good as gold
This one thing is extremely valuable
I'm nothing without you to hold
I feel incomplete without holding you
One thing I know in this world
I am sure of one thing in this world
Is I need you to be my girl
I need you to be my romantic partner
I got so good at hiding
I became an expert at hiding my emotions
I couldn't find myself
I lost touch with who I really am
Ya but baby you got me smiling
But since I met you, you make me smile
And feeling like someone else
I feel like a different person when I'm with you
Yeah you changed my makeup
You transformed me
I ain't the same sad clown
I am no longer the sad person I used to be
Ya ever since you showed up
Since you came into my life
Hey this ain't the same sad town
This town doesn't seem so depressing anymore
Be my girl
Please be my girlfriend
You're the one thing
You are the one source of my happiness
You're the one thing
You are the one thing that matters to me
You're the one thing
You are the only thing I need
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JACK OWEN INGRAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Amber Frankel
Jack will always be my favorite artist. hands down. this man just has an understanding beyond many artists these days and is definitely underrated. KOKO ❤❤❤
Michael Smith
brilliant singer and does incredible live shows
cseeger1
I got to see him live several times in Dallas when he was still relatively unknown. You're right. His shows were great.
DEACON006
Extremely under rated artist. Texas music like this is alive and well here in North Carolina. We get some good REK but not enough Jack, Charlie, etc...
Wildboy5699
this needs more views!!
Lovely_ Time
I want Henry to be my boy❣️
Mia roberts
um um um ummmmmmmm I wish...Jack ingram is awesome!!!
Amy B.
@AMORANDPAZ Actually I believe Jack wrote this song and recorded it first.
Michael Smith
great song-
don't see Jack that much --wonder where he plays now-Amber Frankel
Texas. it's always Texas