Who Is Jacob Hackworth? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

Full name – Jacob Hackworth
Birthdate – 01/18/1997
Hometown – West Plains, Missouri
Current city – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical influences – Jason Aldean, Justin Bieber, Rascal Flatts

Current Project – “When I Don’t” (as of date of article: 6/30/2025)

Country music is filled with elite vocalists and songwriters. With Nashville being the hub for the latest and greatest, today’s incredible artist fits that bill. Jacob Hackworth, the writer behind number one songs “Rock And A Hard Place” and “This Heart”, as well as, Morgan Wallen’s heartbreaking new song, “Jack and Jill,” is currently taken the country world my storm, emerging as his own artist.

“I grew up in southern Missouri, like 30 minutes from Arkansas, way down there. Grew up in a normal, small-town type thing, and I sang in church,” began the singer-songwriter. “My grandma played the piano, so I’d sing with her, and that led to be singing in school and choir. Then in fifth grade or so is when I started singing some solos and stuff in choir. My choir teacher said I was really good at this and [encouraged] me to keep the thing going.”

Hackworth was enamored with music, falling in love with songs from artists like Billy Gilman and Rascal Flatts from an early age.“Off the bet, I’ll go way back when I was five years old, around that time, there was a guy named Billy Gilman, and he had put an album out, and there was a song called “One Voice,” on that record, and that was probably the first thing I remember singing, where I thought it was awesome,” he shared, adding, “It led into Rascal Flatts and definitely Justin Bieber, I had a big Justin Bieber era. […] I would sit in my room and sing all the runs he could do for hours, and then weirdly enough, I became a [Jason] Aldean fan. Then it was just a big melting pot of different stuff from then on.”

Throughout school, Hackworth continued to spend time in choir, working on his singing voice, all while juggling sports at the same time. “After school, I would work on some stuff. I started really doing that, and I was playing sports at the same time also, and I was still scared to death singing those solos, so I was slowly getting into it,” he shared. “I sang through middle school, and by high-school, I was like “I really like to sing,” and everybody kind of new me as the guy who could sing, I joined choir in high-school, and I did that for three years, and then my senior year, I ended up dropping out of it, and ended up playing football, and I wanted to do that.”

The Turning Point:

Upon graduating high-school, Hackworth was ready to put school behind him and start his career. He got a job with the railroad, where he was gone often and typically housed up in hotel rooms. This is how guitar entered his life for the first time. “I had started positing some videos and stuff on Instagram and Facebook, just singing with friends who played guitar. […] Nothing crazy and nothing was popping off or anything, but I slowly became the guy who sang in my hometown, even more than I already was,” he shared, adding, “I had a lot of downtime at work, so I bought a guitar, and I’d play guitar, and then three and a half, four years of doing the railroad thing, I decided to hang it up and quit traveling and get a job in town.”

Once back in his hometown, Hackworth began playing local shows with a group of buddies around his hometown. Additionally, the singer dabbled with songwriter, as he became a better guitar player. While still apprehensive about the longevity for music career, the singer knew that it was what made him feel most fulfilled.

Shortly after moving back home, his mom introduced him to a high-school friend, Travis Smith, who was a songwriter in Nashville. Smith took Hackworth under his wing, and brought him to Nashville for the first time to write with other writers in town. “He brought me town and booked me some writes, and it took about two days of me being in Nashville to say, “I’m moving.”,” he shared, adding, “I definitely always wanted to be an artist.”

At just 22 years old, Hackworth made the move to Music City, and cut his teeth as a songwriter in town, landing a publishing deal after his independent song, “Rock And A Hard Place” earned him his first number one single as a songwriter.

“We were all independent writers, and we just rode the wave, and signed a publishing deal, and next thing you know, I’m getting booked with writers I’ve wanted to write with for three or four years, who are legends. And you start writing better songs and we just kind of saw it as a really good thing, and the artist thing can happen at any time.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Hackworth has two number ones as a songwriter to his name already at country radio. He is also finally showing off his artistry through his own music. Recently, the singer accompanied Tucker Wetmore on tour and shared his latest song, “When I Don’t.”

“The day that we wrote that song, we all thought it was sick. I love the melodies in the song. I love to sing and getting to showcase my artistry was already something that I already liked in this song. Early on we sent the song around and pitched it, and it never caught, and it kinda fell between the cracks, and it wound up back in our pockets. […] I thought about how Tucker [Wetmore] was about to take me on tour with him, and everything fell in to place really quick, and that song just cut through, and I became a big fan of it. That’s why we went with it.”

“When I Don’t showcases Hackworth’s incredible vocals, as well as, his ability to craft a catchy and honest song. The song came at the perfect time for the emerging artist.

It is only just the beginning! Hackworth is currently in the studio working on more new music and slowly but surely making a name for himself as an artist in country music. Stay tuned!

Connect:

To keep up with Jacob Hackworth, follow him on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Jacob Hackworth’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.