Jessie S Burnett
Early Life
Jessie S. Burnett (May 17, 1988—) is an American singer-songwriter and musician in Flagstaff, Arizona. At the ripe ol’ age of 4, Jessie was handed her first violin. Following in her sisters’ footsteps, Jessie was classically trained in Suzuki at Northern Arizona University. Six years later, the young musician broke free of the non-fretted and bowed “squeak machine” when her family purchased a Gibson F-5 mandolin. This wooden, scrolled beauty had no chance at being left alone. And for almost 24 years, Jessie’s passion for the instrument went uncontested.
Career
As her career progressed, Jessie was constantly challenged by the interest in the unknown. Driven by a desire to diversify her talents as a musician, singer, and songwriter, Jessie learned to play a variety of instruments from the trumpet to percussion Inspired by artists from all genres. Jessie expressed as a young adult: “I would love to learn the trumpet specifically to play Chuck Mangione’s “Feel So Good”, although she admits that she was most influenced by Chris Thile and his ability to “feel the music.”
Jessie entered the music scene at a young age with “The Burnett Family” (later “Burnett Family Bluegrass”) in 1993. After making waves throughout the southwest as one of bluegrass’s favorite family bands, highlighting festivals like Pickin’ In The Pines in Flagstaff, The Burnett Family would compete and win Telluride’s 2004 Bluegrass Competition. Their talents took them from California to Nashville, playing alongside some of their childhood heroes like Chris Thile, Allison Krauss, Mike Marshall, Béla Fleck and David Grisman.
Although Jessie’s style is rooted in the tradition of bluegrass, she continues to experiment with sound, story, and emotion, which most resonates with her listeners.
