With the approach of the Grammy Awards, there has been a lot of talk about who was nominated for the big awards like album of the year, but there is one musician who racked up several nominations that I haven’t heard anyone talk about, but who arguably deserves the spotlight more than several prominent musicians: Jesse Welles. Welles is a folk artist from Arkansas who earned four nominations this year, including Best Folk Album for “Under the Powerlines” and Best Americana Album for “Middle.” Welles is best known for his quickly written political songs that comment on recent events, which he records under the powerlines in the Arkansas woods. His combination of acoustic guitar, harmonica and detest for the way things are has garnered comparisons to Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, and rightfully so. His responsive style has resulted in some of his most popular songs, including “United Health,” “War Isn’t Murder,” “Fat,” and “Walmart.”

Considering the current political environment, a lot of people have been vying for an artist who fills the role and genre created by legends like Woody Guthrie, and Welles fits that role perfectly. His writing style, while quick, makes for some powerful lyrics that point out major flaws in the American system. One of his more recent songs, “Join ICE,” is a perfect example of this. The song is a satirical ‘recruitment’ song for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and tells listeners, “If you’re lacking control and authority / Come with me and hunt down minorities.” As for the songs that are actually nominated for Grammys, those songs are even better. When I first listened to “Middle” while writing this article, I was not expecting to like it as much as his usual material from under the powerlines, but I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it a lot more than his songs from under the powerlines. When Welles is in a studio, it allows him to use multiple instruments and musicians instead of his lone guitar, and he takes full advantage of this.

For “Middle,” Welles uses several different instruments, including violins, drums, and a variety of guitars. The album has a completely different sound compared to his recordings under the powerlines, which allows him to create a love letter to Appalachian music, with songs like “Every Grain of Sand,” “Wheel,” and “Fear is the Mind Killer.” This album is a unique composition of classical American folk music, which is something that hasn’t been made with such quality in a very long time. Welles has created an album that speaks to a part of the country that seems to be quickly disappearing, as well as songs that speak to the challenges and emotions of this country, which I believe makes him more than deserving of all four Grammys he has been nominated for.