It's been a wild ride for the man who grew up in the "Grass Seed Capital of the World," listening to the diverse sounds of his mother's favorite country songs and his Dad's soul records.
"Corvallis is a small college town," he says of his Oregon home, whose farms supply much of the town's teenage population with work during the warmer months. "You go to school, and in the summer you work on the farm starting at age 12. You either bale hay or drive the combine. That's what most kids do, every single year."
Once his older brother landed a record deal as a Christian artist, though, Michelson found himself with a different sort of summertime gig: selling t-shirts and CDs at his sibling's gigs. Touring the country at a young age lit a fire inside Michelson, who began playing in bands back at home. He started writing original music, too, drawing on his own experiences to create songs that balanced high-energy hooks with good-natured, real-world storylines. It was music shaped by what he listened to and where he came from.
Songs like "The Good Life," which has since become a popular track on SiriusXM radio, helped spread Michelson's music to new fans across the country. Most of the grunt work, though, was done on the road, where Michelson delivered more than 100 shows per year. He opened for artists like Lee Brice, Blake Shelton and Frankie Ballard, earning new fans along the way. To him, those fans were everything. They were his muse, his support system, his champions. Crowd interaction became a crucial part of every Jackson Michelson show, and he always ended each gig the same way: by meeting fans, shaking hands and becoming friends with those who enjoyed his music.
"Crowd engagement is so important to me," he says. "My show is just as much about the band paying attention to the crowd, as the band putting on a show for the crowd. It's not just about us; it's about the experience we're all gonna have together."
Now, with a record deal under his belt, Michelson is prepping for the next phase of his career. There are new shows to play, new songs to be written and new opportunities to explore. But he's still the boy from Corvallis, happy to sing about "The Good Life" — a life he's built himself, show by show and song by song — to an audience that continues to grow.
Tip Jar
Jackson Michelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
After 11 months I'm all alone
She thought that it would be alright
Breaking it to me while we′re on the phone
I told her she can keep my records
Now I don't want 'em anyway
I′ll find some songs that I like better
That won′t remind me of her face
I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar
I gotta keep ′em playing all night long
Tell all my buddies I won't miss her
If I just keep ′em playing all our songs
Ain't reckless behavior I gotta replace the
Memories we made here in this bar
And if the band can fix my broken heart
I′ll toss a 20 in the tip jar
I got 'em playing something slow
Asking a stranger if she wanna dance
Moving her all across the floor
But I ain't looking for a new romance
Another 20 for Tom Petty
Singin′ every word to Mary Jane
I′m moving on and now I'm ready
I hear Bon Jovi kills the pain
I′ll toss a 20 in the tip jar
I gotta keep 'em playing all night long
Tell all my buddies I won′t miss her
If I just keep 'em playing all our songs
Ain′t reckless behavior I gotta replace the
Memories we made here in this bar
And if the band can fix my broken heart
I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar
Play me one boys
Woah oh oh
Take my cash, my credit card
Woah oh oh
One more song for a broken heart
I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar
I gotta keep ′em playing all night long
Tell all my buddies I won′t miss her
If I just keep 'em playing all our songs
Ain′t reckless behavior I gotta replace the
Memories we made here in this bar
And if the band can fix my broken heart
I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar
Yeah if the band can fix my broken heart
I′ll toss a 20 in the tip jar, tip jar
In "Tip Jar," Jackson Michelson sings about healing after a breakup in a bar where he and his ex used to frequent. The beginning of the song sees Michelson being told over the phone that his girlfriend wants to end their relationship. He tells her to keep his records, as he doesn't want anything that reminds him of her. But instead of wallowing in his sadness, Michelson decides to go out with his friends and find new songs to enjoy that won't hurt him as much. He throws a $20 bill in the tip jar as he requests songs from the band.
Throughout the song, Michelson introduces the idea that the best way to cure a broken heart is through music. He requests songs from Tom Petty, Mary Jane, and Bon Jovi that he believes will "kill the pain" he feels. He also dances with a stranger, even though he isn't looking for a new romance. Michelson ends the song by encouraging the band to keep playing if they can heal his broken heart. The song has a catchy chorus and is a relatable anthem for anyone who has tried to mend their heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess I'm going out tonight
I have decided to go out tonight.
After 11 months I'm all alone
After spending 11 months with someone, I am now alone.
She thought that it would be alright, Breaking it to me while we're on the phone
She thought it would be okay to break up with me over the phone.
I told her she can keep my records, Now I don't want 'em anyway
I told her she can keep my records because I don't want them anymore.
I'll find some songs that I like better, That won't remind me of her face
I will find new songs that I like that won't remind me of her.
I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar, I gotta keep 'em playing all night long
I will give the band a 20 dollar bill because I want them to keep playing music all night.
Tell all my buddies I won't miss her, If I just keep 'em playing all our songs
I will tell my friends that I won't miss her if I keep the band playing all of our songs.
Ain't reckless behavior I gotta replace the, Memories we made here in this bar
I am not being reckless, I just need to replace the memories of us in this bar.
And if the band can fix my broken heart, I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar
If the band can make me feel better and fix my broken heart, I will give them a 20 dollar bill.
I got 'em playing something slow, Asking a stranger if she wanna dance
I got the band to play a slow song and I asked a stranger to dance with me.
Moving her all across the floor, But I ain't looking for a new romance
I danced with her all across the floor, but I am not looking for a new romantic relationship.
Another 20 for Tom Petty, Singin' every word to Mary Jane
I will give the band another 20 dollar bill if they play Tom Petty's song and I will sing along to it.
I'm moving on and now I'm ready, I hear Bon Jovi kills the pain
I am moving on from the breakup and now I am ready. I heard that listening to Bon Jovi can ease the pain.
Play me one boys, Woah oh oh
Band, please play me one song.
Take my cash, my credit card, Woah oh oh
Band, take my cash and my credit card.
One more song for a broken heart
Please play one more song for my broken heart.
Yeah if the band can fix my broken heart, I'll toss a 20 in the tip jar, tip jar
If the band can make me feel better and fix my broken heart, I will give them a 20 dollar bill and put it in the tip jar.
Writer(s): Jackson Michelson, Justin Douglas Morgan, Patrick Mencil
Contributed by Sophie M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
my mix
Another awesome song I absolutely love 😉
Jackson Michelson
Thank you so much!
my mix
@Jackson Michelson You are very welcome and he has found one of your big fans please keep writing you are totally awesome on these songs 😊
Nate Johnson Music
This song is soooo good!
Amazing work Jackson. Watching you live out your dream is inspiring!
Jackson Michelson
Thanks bro!!
Cathal Moore
VERY Creative. Well done to all.
Jackson Michelson
Thanks so much!!
WildZenVentures
Just heard this on the radio in Oregon, great song!! Fun, free and easy ... Just what we all need right now. Cheers man!
Jackson Michelson
Awesome! Thank you so much! Glad you're digging it!
defensegirl
Looking forward to so many more songs from this guy! Love it! Heard it on the radio in KC!