Jared Woods resides in Anchorage, Alaska with his wife and sons. He’s got a big sound, a contagious laugh and a genuine love for those who listen.

During a break in conversation at a lively Anchorage bar, you might hear a line from Jared Woods’ extensive list of original tunes. “Got a red guitar to play blue songs/To break down doors, right or wrong,” lyrics from his song “Cold blood.”

Or maybe you’re lucky enough to catch an intimate coffee shop gig or even better a theatre show, in which case you might be even more impressed.“When you whisper while you’re dreaming/I notice your accent’s almost gone,” he sings in “Driving into the sunset.”

Whether you’ve enjoyed live music in Anchorage your whole life or you’re a visiting artist looking to hear some tunes before a short stint under the midnight sun, you can’t help but stop to appreciate Jared Woods for a moment. He’s the type of talent Alaskans would proudly show off to friends in the rest of the US but would first consider hoarding for themselves. Anchorage fans often name him and his band (Woodrow) the town’s best in listeners’ choice competitions.

Woods’ grew up in Alaska and his time in jazz band and choir at East Anchorage High School inspired him to start writing songs. His first album, “Carnival Ride” (2000) was recorded while he attended music school in L.A. Woods now has several albums released and even more songs that have yet to be documented. But there’s never a shortage of opportunities to hear him play live. He gigs sometimes upwards of five times a week, mostly in the Anchorage vicinity.

“It comes down to me absolutely loving music,” Woods told the Anchorage Daily News. “It’s not a part-time thing for me. I can’t put it on a shelf, it will wake me up.”

Bio by Rosey Robards
Photo by Brian Adams