Quality Americana

“Cut Me Loose” is a deeply moving and beautifully produced folk offering that’s been seeing a heartfelt response from listeners.

Edmond, Oklahoma

Jeff Dodgen grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, a town on the edge of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. He first picked up music from a childhood babysitter, who gave him an acoustic guitar “the first time he sat us,” and taught him his first chords.

Dodgen loved the energy he found in music, and was first drawn to progressive rock groups like Fall of Troy. “Cut Me Loose” marks a different direction for the artist, and the response has been welcomed by his fans.

A Tragic Loss

“Cut Me Loose” tells the heart wrenching story of a family tragedy.

“You’re lonely. You still have my number so you call me,” Dodgen sings. “You know I’ll never answer but you’re stalling. You can’t stand to see things as they are.”

Dodgen’s sister-in-law faced undiagnosed mental struggles throughout her life, and as the family wrestled with taking care of a newborn child, they missed a crucial moment that forever changed their lives. 

“You miss me, so you brought me flowers and they’re wilting on the summer lawn where I am resting,” Dodgen sings. “You say goodbye and get back in your car.”

One Last Time

Dodgen crafted the lyrics with his wife Della Ray as they mourned the loss of their loved one. They faced the devastating feeling that they could have seen each other one last time, while knowing mental illness is something we still seek a cure for, and that one can’t bear the responsibility of the tragic outcome that this disease can cause.

“I intended ‘Cut Me Loose’ to be a heartfelt goodbye from the other side of eternity,” Dodgen said. “It gives the deceased the final word to you, while you wish to have had the chance to say one last thing to them.”

Dodgen described the moment when they entered their sister’s apartment after the tragic loss, finding a gift that was waiting to be given to their newborn. 

“It puts the mess of grief out on the table with a side of closure,” Dodgen said. “I just hope it helps someone in their journey to live without their loved ones nearby.”

The song shows the family struggling to let go of the grief they face.

“I notice that you’re living like I didn’t know you loved me but I did,” Dodgen sings. “And I can’t help think you’re feeling like you can’t let go or else you might forget, but something’s got to give.”

Remaining Faithful

They’ve managed to hold on through their faith, and Dodgen serves others through teaching at the Church of Christ in Choctaw, Oklahoma.

Support the artist by streaming and purchasing “Cut Me Loose” on Bandcamp.

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