Music has always been a compass in dark times. From Dylan and Seeger to the Dead and beyond, artists have held a mirror to power and refused to let lies go unchallenged. Today, as Donald Trump doubles down on authoritarian tactics, mocks science, and waves away inconvenient truths as “hoaxes,” we are once again at a crossroads. Every day of silence is another day he tightens his grip.
That’s why Jesse Welles matters right now.
Armed with just a voice, a guitar, and a sharp pen, Welles has stepped into a role too many others avoid. His song The List calls out corruption and secrecy head-on, demanding answers Trump will never give. His song PBS defends one of America’s last true pillars of knowledge, a cultural lifeline that politicians keep trying to gut. These aren’t safe topics — but they are necessary ones.
And audiences are responding. From TikTok clips to YouTube shorts, Welles’ music has found traction online, and now he’s selling out theaters across the country. People want truth. People want songs that don’t dodge the moment. And here’s this young artist from Arkansas — a state with one of the most conservative governments in the country — refusing to flinch, refusing to pander, and refusing to stay quiet.
Meanwhile, too many of his peers in the broader roots, jam, and Americana world have stayed on the sidelines. Yes, now and then, voices rise up — RockyGrass and Folks Fest both saw calls from the stage to reject Trump and his creeping authoritarianism. But those moments are too rare. Our musical communities, the ones that pride themselves on authenticity and truth, should be louder.
Because the truth is this: it cannot fall on one man alone. Jesse Welles is proof that the songs matter, that truth still resonates, and that standing up is possible even when the risks are high. But he shouldn’t be a lone figure on the stage.
The call is simple: we need more. More artists willing to take on the lies. More songs that speak to what is really happening in this country. More voices that refuse to let democracy, science, and truth be twisted out of shape by a man who would happily rule like a dictator.
One guitar, one voice, one truth can change the room. Welles has shown that. Now it’s time for others to join him.
