Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Jesse Roper stopped by KGNU ahead of his Colorado tour dates to talk with Ginger Perry about life on the road, touring across North America and Europe, and the eclectic musical influences that shape his sound. Roper discussed his recent success touring the U.S., his love of Colorado, and the stories behind songs, “Lady Luck” and “Daisy Wake Up,” which he performed live in the studio. The conversation also touched on songwriting, travel, cats, and the determination it takes to build a career in music. (Air Date 3/10/26).
Listen to the local gold here:
Transcript:
Ginger Perry: We’re happy to have special guest Jesse Roper on the air this morning. He’s playing at Chautauqua tonight and in Denver tomorrow. Hi, Jesse.
Jesse Roper: How are you doing?
Ginger Perry: Good. Jesse is from Canada and drove here yesterday in the snow. Where are you from?
Jesse Roper: Victoria, British Columbia.
Ginger Perry: That’s such a nice place.
Jesse Roper: It’s not too shabby.
Ginger Perry: We could use some of that snow. Everything’s pretty brown here, and they call it a snow drought. The ski resorts are really hurting, and we’re all hoping for some precipitation.
Enough about us. Tell me about your group. There are five people in it?
Jesse Roper: Yes. There’s me on guitar, Pete on guitar, plus drums, keys, and bass.
Ginger Perry: How long have you been playing together?
Jesse Roper: This lineup has been together for about three and a half years.
Ginger Perry: Do you play all over?
Jesse Roper: Yes. We’ve been touring the States a lot recently. We were mainly focused on Canada, then I got a European agent and started touring over there.
I ended up on a tour with Dylan LeBlanc through Europe. We did about 50 dates together, and at the end he asked if I wanted to tour America with him. While I was out here, I met an agent named Harry. One day he told me, “I could keep you working 365 days a year in America.” I told him to prove it.
I’d been disappointed with the amount of work I was getting from previous agents.
Ginger Perry: Was he true to his word?
Jesse Roper: He sure was.
Ginger Perry: Really?
Jesse Roper: Absolutely.
Ginger Perry: Where have you been playing?
Jesse Roper: Quite a bit in Colorado, but really all over. The one place we haven’t played much is the West Coast, which is funny because that’s where I live. We’ve spent a lot of time in Nashville and on the East Coast. Since Harry is based in Nashville, we’ve focused on the areas where he has the strongest connections.
Ginger Perry: That’s fantastic.
Jesse Roper: It’s been great.
Ginger Perry: That’s real progress.
Jesse Roper: It is. As a byproduct, people back in Canada see me touring America and Europe and start thinking I’m big time.
Ginger Perry: How do you feel about traveling so much?
Jesse Roper: I enjoy it. It’s a little tough on the body, but I like traveling.
Ginger Perry: You don’t mind being away from home?
Jesse Roper: Not really. I miss my cat, though. I also have a garden that I try to keep going. Between tours, I spend time taking care of it.
Ginger Perry: Who takes care of the cat?
Jesse Roper: My neighbor.
Ginger Perry: Oh.
Jesse Roper: She loves him. His name is Chucky. He’s a stinker. He spent the first year and a half of his life in the woods. When he came back, he was missing half an ear and had scars all over him. Now he’s fat and old and likes sitting by the window in the sun.
Ginger Perry: Good. I have a cat too, Mosey.
Jesse Roper: Mosey? Good name.
Ginger Perry: His original name was Mozart, which I thought was a little highfalutin, but Mosey fits him. He likes to mosey around and loves being outdoors. Every now and then he kills a bird, though.
Jesse Roper: That’s tough, but that’s what cats do.
Ginger Perry: Mother Nature.
Tell me about your music. How would you describe it to people who haven’t heard it, and what can they expect tonight at Chautauqua?
Jesse Roper: It’s a bit like Jesse Roper Radio. I get bored with one genre, so it’s a blend of a lot of different influences. At its core there’s soul, blues, and rock and roll. Then I add other things—a little reggae, a little country, some heavier rock. It’s a mix of everything I enjoy.
Ginger Perry: We have a description here: “Jesse Roper is a Canadian artist with a penchant for writing modern indie-infused blues music.”
Jesse Roper: Sure.
Ginger Perry: Does that fit?
Jesse Roper: Partly. It’s really a bunch of different things.
Ginger Perry: Let’s hear some music.
Jesse Roper: Sure. This one leans a little more country. It’s called “Lady Luck.” It’s not out yet, but we’ll release it in June. It’s about spending all my money trying to be a musician. Touring is tough on the bank account, and sometimes I feel like the worst gambler I know.
Ginger Perry: You’re losing.
Jesse Roper: The house is winning, although there’s a little winning too.
[Performs “Lady Luck”]
Ginger Perry: “I believe destiny’s my closest friend.” Want to say anything about that line?
Jesse Roper: I think you have to be just the right amount of delusional to believe you can make it in this industry and keep going.
Ginger Perry: I guess you are.
Jesse Roper: I’d like to think so. We’ll find out. Maybe I’m too delusional.
Ginger Perry: Tomorrow you’re playing in Denver. What’s the venue?
Jesse Roper: Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox.
Ginger Perry: Sounds awesome.
Jesse Roper: It does.
Ginger Perry: What time?
Jesse Roper: Around the same time as tonight, probably about 8:00.
Ginger Perry: Tonight’s show features Jesse and Darren Damis, so it’s two acts for one ticket.
Jesse Roper: Exactly.
Ginger Perry: I really enjoyed that song. I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m thrilled to have you here.
Jesse Roper: Thank you.
Ginger Perry: Anything else you’d like to tell us?
Jesse Roper: I really like Colorado. The drive out here is beautiful. If I were going to live somewhere in America, this would probably be it.
Ginger Perry: Did you drive all the way from Canada?
Jesse Roper: I did.
Ginger Perry: How long did it take?
Jesse Roper: A couple of big driving days. From Port Angeles it’s about 24 hours according to GPS.
Ginger Perry: Who came with you?
Jesse Roper: My keyboard player, Chris.
Ginger Perry: And the other guys?
Jesse Roper: I flew them in. Chris likes driving. We switch off behind the wheel. If I had done it alone, it would have taken three days, but I didn’t have that kind of time. A private show came up the night before I was supposed to leave, so we had to push hard.
Ginger Perry: And you made it.
Jesse Roper: We did. The weather was great, which helped.
Ginger Perry: Good thing it wasn’t the East Coast. They got hit with snowstorm after snowstorm.
Jesse Roper: Wow.
Ginger Perry: We want the snow and they’re getting all of it.
Jesse Roper: Maybe it’ll balance out. You just have to cross your fingers and do a rain dance.
Ginger Perry: That’s a good idea.
Jesse Roper: And maybe a little recycling too.
Ginger Perry: Jesse, you’re fun. I’m happy to meet you.
Jesse Roper: Likewise.
Ginger Perry: How about another song?
Jesse Roper: Sure. Let me tune up quickly.
This song is called “Daisy Wake Up.” It came from a funny experience with my six-year-old neighbor, Owen. He showed up at my door with a Fisher-Price guitar and asked me to tune it. The thing wouldn’t tune normally, so I put it in an open tuning. Then I started playing it and got inspired. I asked if I could borrow it for the evening. I ended up keeping it for a week and writing this song. Eventually Owen came back and asked, “Where’s my guitar?”
Ginger Perry: That’s a great story.
Jesse Roper: Here’s “Daisy Wake Up.”
[Performs “Daisy Wake Up”]
Ginger Perry: Your endings are always like, “Woo, it’s over.”
Jesse Roper: I’m a big AC/DC fan. They always have the best endings, especially live. Big finish, then done.
Ginger Perry: Gets you fired up.
I wanted to play something from Derrick James O’Hi, who’s playing with Jesse tonight, but I ran into a problem with my CDs.
The important thing is that Jesse Roper and Derrick James O’Hi are playing tonight at the Chautauqua Community House. There are still tickets available, and we’re also giving away a pair. If you can attend and haven’t won anything in the last month, call Mary at the front desk. Be the third caller and you’ll win.
If not, you can still buy tickets and come to the show.
Jesse Roper: Wow.
Ginger Perry: Thank you so much for coming in.
Jesse Roper: Thanks for having me.
Ginger Perry: You’re a lot of fun. You’ll be in Boulder today and Denver tomorrow?
Jesse Roper: That’s right. Then Buena Vista the day after, and Telluride for a couple of shows.
Ginger Perry: You’re going to love Telluride.
Jesse Roper: It’s beautiful. I’ve been there once. It was a whirlwind. Our flights got messed up, so we drove overnight from Denver to make it in time for the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. We arrived around 7:30 in the morning, slept for an hour, did soundcheck, and played.
I didn’t realize how high the elevation was. I’m used to sea level. During the second half of the set I couldn’t catch my breath. Then someone told me we were around 10,000 feet up, and suddenly it all made sense.
Ginger Perry: You had no time to acclimate.
Jesse Roper: None.
Ginger Perry: Well, we’ll see how you do tonight. It’s only a little over a mile high here.
Jesse Roper: I think I’ll be okay.
Ginger Perry: Thanks again for coming in, Jesse. And thanks to everyone listening. If you haven’t already, call 303-449-4885 and be the third caller to win those tickets.
Jesse Roper: Have a good one.
