Jackie K And hubby Tom are in it for the long haul on their new country duet We Can’t Quit — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
There are times in all relationships when you drive each other crazy. Maybe someone drinks or smokes a little too much, or complains about their weight while bulldozing junk food. But despite their annoying and frustrating habits, we don’t leave. This is the theme of Saskatchewan alt-folk artist Jackie K’s We Can’t Quit, the latest single from her debut album She’s A Story.
In a first for their relationship, Jackie and her husband Tom Kroczynski join forces on the song. A difficult couple of years inspired the couple to put together a duet that symbolized their enduring commitment to one another. “We had been smoking cigarettes on and off during the pandemic, and it was time to stop,” Jackie says. “The last few years have been hard, so much additional pressure. The song is about making the decision to keep trying to be better but also to know when it’s time to cut each other some slack. Life can be hard enough.”
Jackie and Tom take turns serenading listeners with examples of bothersome behaviour, then outlining why everything stays the same, even when they try to change. But what might separate others hasn’t divided these two — their true vices are each other. “It’s just a fun country song with more than a little bit of truth telling!” Jackie explains. “Oh, and we did quit smoking. But I still eat too many chips and he’s got a mouth on him!”
This honest tune is one of several storytelling songs within She’s A Story. While the album was recorded in Saskatoon by producer Randy Woods and mastered at Mojito Mastering in Toronto, Jackie K is responsible for vocals, keys, and trumpet, with Tom providing bass. Kyle Krysa plays drums, Connor Newton is on sax, and Woods sprinkles in some magic on guitar.
Released on March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day, She’s A Story tells the tales of women, some personal to Jackie K and others relevant to the world’s women and the lives they lead. “The stories belong to women,” she said. “Women’s roles have changed. Things are different now than they have been. It’s harder, it’s more work. If somebody can relate to an aging parent, or being queen of their castle, that will make me happy.”
We Can’t Quit is sandwiched in the center of the album, introducing the complexities many women live with in their relationships. “She’s eating, he’s swearing, she’s drinking too much beer, he’s smoking — there is frustration amidst the underlying love and support that is there in any relationship,” Jackie says. “We love John Prine’s In Spite of Ourselves and used to sing that a lot. We certainly took some cues from his expert songwriting.”
Based in North Battleford, Jackie K incorporates her love of the prairies and its people into her music, and her creativity has taken her around the world, most recently to Ireland in January to showcase at Your Roots Are Showing with Tom. When she isn’t writing or performing, Jackie K teaches band and guitar to high school students.
Check out We Can’t Quit above, listen to She’s A Story below, and find Jackie K at her website, Facebook and Instagram.
