Jesse Dean

North Carolina vocalist Jesse Dean channels gospel spirituality through country and bluegrass traditions. His renditions of material written by the husband-and-wife team John and Linda Tremblay draw parallels to Merle Haggard, George Jones, and Willie Nelson, even as he holds firmly to religious subject matter.

Dean started writing songs at age twelve and tried without success to break through in Nashville. After approaching hundreds of doors and making an appearance on Jerry Lewis's Labor Day Telethon, he still could not attract offers from any publishing company or record label.

Upon settling in the small southeastern North Carolina town on White Lake, Dean obtained strong backing from the Tremblays, who placed him under contract and issued his first two albums, Gospel Gold and Country Classics.