When someone says “open bar,” your brain probably jumps to a dusty little dive with a flickering neon beer sign and a jukebox that hasn’t forgiven anyone since ‘97 — but it’s also the title of Oklahoma-born artist Jake Banfield’s debut album. Instead of cheap shots, he’s serving a fresh country pour with lyrics that have you texting your mom “ily” one minute and drafting a mental health voice memo to your therapist the next. We caught up with Jake to talk about how a basketball court became a songwriting playground after a career-ending injury benched his first dream, the art of writing hits for other artists before stepping into his own spotlight, and everything in between.
Most people know your career began in songwriting, co-penning ‘BOYSHIT’ with Madison Beer, but you also worked on ‘Kiss My (Uh Oh)’ with Anne-Marie and Little Mix. What did you take from those sessions—writing to reflect someone else’s voice—that’s helped you define and strengthen your own artistic identity?
I learned so much from those early sessions. I didn’t even know co-writing was a thing before I started making music, so walking into a room with other writers for the first time was crazy in the best way. It taught me how to speak up, trust my ideas, and just let things flow. Everyone in there has the same goal, which is to make something great. Those sessions taught me how to stay open-minded and enjoy the process, and that’s something I still carry with me today.
Basketball’s basically in your DNA—you played in college, and your grandpa’s in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for coaching. If we took that court energy and matched it with your debut album Open Bars, which tracks would sink the free throw, nail the two-pointer, and absolutely drain the three-pointer for you personally?
‘Thought of You’ sinks the free throw because it closes the album and wraps everything up perfectly. It’s that shot you make when the game’s almost over, just to seal it. ‘Sunburn’ hits the two-pointer. It’s efficient, feels good, and just lands right every time. ‘Lasso’ drains the three. It’s the big moment, the one that gets the crowd on their feet. That song feels like pure energy to me, just fun and full of life.
In your interview with All Country News, you mentioned there isn’t an official ‘Lasso’ dance—each city has its own original line dance. That kind of mirrors how people interpret your songs in their own ways. How important is that sense of individuality and interpretation to you, both as an artist and in creativity as a whole?
It’s super important. I never want to box people in with my music. I love seeing how different crowds take a song and make it their own thing. It’s cool watching everyone connect to it in their own way because that’s what music’s supposed to do. It’s supposed to bring people together but still let them be themselves.
What’s really cool about the ‘Lasso’ music video, directed by IMXSEBASTIAN, is how it weaves in those Americana snapshots and motifs. And then, separately, the album’s lyric visualizers bring in that same world with the neon signs. Is there a particular visual element from country aesthetics that you’re especially drawn to—or something you’d like to explore more in your own visual universe?
I love dive bars. Jukebox, pool table, darts, regulars, karaoke, smoky haze. That’s home to me. Those spots have real stories in the walls, and I think that vibe runs through a lot of the visuals we’ve done. It reminds me of small-town Oklahoma nights with my buddies, just talking life and laughing. That’s the heart of what I do.
‘Boys Don’t Cry’—a collaboration with Jason Walker (‘Echo’), who produced and co-wrote the track—has exploded with over 4.8 million views on YouTube. The song originally came out two years ago, contrasting with the album’s 2025 release. What is it about that track that you think still resonates so strongly now?
It’s one of those songs that’ll always matter because it’s real. Mental health’s something that never stops being important. I used to keep stuff bottled up, and it never helped. The song’s about being open and saying you’re not okay sometimes, and I think that honesty is what makes people connect with it. Seeing how much it’s helped others means the world to me.
‘Still Feels The Same’ is the only duet on the record, featuring RaeLynn. What was it about her that made her the perfect fit for this song, and how did you approach the vocal chemistry when writing/recording it?
I’ve been a fan of her voice for a while, and when we wrote the song, I could just hear her on it. She’s got this tone that feels both strong and emotional, and it matched perfectly. We sent her the song, and she absolutely killed it. Even though we didn’t record it in the same room, her verse and harmonies brought the whole thing to life.
‘Open Bars,’ the title track of the album, carries this beautiful irony—it’s sad in tone but poetic in how it credits the muses behind the music, the people whose essence helped shape the songs. What were you trying to capture with that one that made it feel right as the album’s spotlight track?
‘Open Bars’ just felt like the heartbeat of the album. There are a lot of reasons people walk into a bar. Sometimes it’s to celebrate, sometimes it’s to forget, sometimes it’s just to be around people. That mix of emotion runs through the whole project, and this song ties it all together.
‘Hall of Fame’ is such a gorgeous tribute to your mom—it flips the idea of achievement to celebrate the people who supported that journey. Is there a particular lyric from that song that you’re especially proud of or that feels most personal to you?
“Where momma fit a million memories inside 1100 square feet.” That one hits home every time. We didn’t grow up in the biggest house, but it was full of love, and that’s all that mattered. My mom’s the reason I’m who I am, and that song’s just a small way to thank her for everything she’s done.
‘What We Started’ has perhaps the sickest production, which mirrors the high energy in the opener, ‘Anywhere But Home.’ What was the atmosphere like in the studio during that production process?
That one was pure fun. We wrote it quick because it just flowed. Everyone in the room was fired up, throwing ideas out, and the energy never dipped. It felt like we were in a bar having the time of our lives.
Finally, you’ve just wrapped your tour—do you have a standout moment that comes to mind, even though we’re sure it shuffles around like a Myspace Top Five?
Playing my first hometown show in Tulsa on the night the album dropped. That one was special. Having my family, friends, and fans all in the same room while celebrating something I’ve worked so hard for was unreal. I’ll remember that night forever.
You’ve heard Jake’s play-by-play, now it’s your turn to take the shot. Which track off Open Bars are you calling the slam dunk? Drop your fave over on our socials — Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook — and flex that MVP taste. Then, head over to Jake’s website — he just announced he’ll be opening for George Birge on the Cowboy Songs Tour next year, and trust us, you’ll want courtside seats for that one. 🏀🤠
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