Billboard Canada FYI Track Of The Week: Jeff Rogers, "Lock & Key"

It was announced this week that Dream Job, a new solo album from Ottawa-based roots singer-songwriter and keyboard player Jeff Rogers will receive a North American release on Feb. 16 via Diesel Entertainment.

Rogers’s name may not immediately ring a bell, but Canadian country and blues fans will recognize The Cooper Brothers and HOROJO Trio, two acclaimed combos in which Cooper is a member. He has also worked extensively locally as a solo artist, and now seems poised for greater attention.

“Lock & Key,” the first advance track from the album, validates the growing buzz around Rogers. It is a sizzling soul/blues romp, featuring searing guitar, lusty horns and Rogers's virile vocals.

The Southern vibe reflects the fact that the album was recorded at Wishbone Studios in the famed music mecca of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a place that has spawned classic albums from the likes of Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Etta James, Paul Simon, Otis Redding, The Black Keys and more.

Rogers recruited some of the town's ace players, with combined credits including Bobby Bland, The Staple Sisters, Keb Mo’, Delbert McClinton, and Drive-By-Truckers). Also featured (though not on this single) are Canadian stars Colin Linden and Kellylee Evans, with Dick Cooper of The Cooper Brothers co-producing (with Rogers and Steve Foley) and co-writing all the tracks with Rogers.

A listen to other cuts on the new album leaves an equally positive impression. Look for Dream Job and Jeff Rogers to make a mark in 2024.