Biography

From her Grand Ole Opry solo debut last fall through this winter’s release of No Fear, the blockbuster album from Sister Sadie that features a half-dozen of her lead vocals, it’s been a busy stretch for Mountain Home Music Company’s Jaelee Roberts. Still, the young singer made the time to get into the studio with master bassist and acclaimed producer Byron House, and the first fruits of their work are now available in a new take on the classic rocker, “Stuck in the Middle with You.” From its opening notes to the long closing that features the all-star cast — and Roberts’ supple, expressive voice — jamming out over an irresistible groove, it’s a performance that proves Roberts’ 2023 IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year nomination was no fluke.

“‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ is a song that I have loved for a really long time,” Jaelee reveals, “and I’ve been keeping it in mind to record because I felt like it would be so much fun to cover. Of course I love the original version by Stealers Wheel (written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan), but when I was pretty young I found Keith Urban’s version from the 90s with his band, The Ranch, and I was really hooked on it. I have listened to it literally hundreds of times, and it never gets old. I love all genres of music, and I recorded a 70s rock song (‘Landslide’) on my debut album; people really seemed to enjoy that, so I wanted to include a song from that era on my new album, too, and I knew ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ was the one. I’m excited that it just happens to be the first single!

“I have to say that I am absolutely thrilled with how this song turned out, with the help of my producer and bass player, Byron House, and all of the other STELLAR musicians: Ron Block - banjo/guitar; Cody Kilby - guitar; Andy Leftwich - mandolin; Russ Pahl - dobro; Kevin McKendree - Wurlitzer; and John Gardner - percussion, along with backing vocals by John Cowan.”

Adds House, “Jaelee’s voice is THE GOLDEN THREAD shining so brightly in what feels to me like a well-woven tapestry of mighty fine playing, all supported by this classic groove. Her version of ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’ was every bit as fun to play and produce as I hope it will be for you to hear. So grateful to be working with Jaelee Roberts!”

“It was truly amazing to hear this come to life,” Roberts concludes, “and I really think we made it our own by combining two awesome versions and throwing in a twist or two for a new take on ‘Stuck in the Middle with You.’ I hope it makes you smile and maybe even want to get up and dance!”

“Stuck in the Middle with You” is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL. Listen to it HERE.

About Jaelee Roberts
Though she’s in her early 20s, Music City native Jaelee Roberts, is already more than a little familiar with — and to — the music industry. Born to veteran music professionals, she grew up backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and in the middle of rehearsals, business meetings and recording sessions, along with plenty of festivals and concerts. Roberts got her start singing in church at a very early age and began her journey as an instrumentalist at age 4 with fiddle lessons; since then, she has added guitar, mandolin and piano to her musical arsenal. Jaelee participated in and won numerous music and dance competitions, but as she began her teen years, she found herself drawn more to performance than competition. Soon, she was attracting attention for her rich voice and interpretative ability, recording not only with her father, the Grascals’ Danny Roberts, but with the Tom T. and Dixie Hall-backed Daughters of Bluegrass. By the time she finished high school, she’d been chosen in two consecutive years as a vocal track participant in the industry-leading GRAMMY Camp. Jaelee was an official Bluegrass Ramble Showcase artist at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass in 2019 as well as being a 2020 IBMA Songwriter Showcase artist. In 2021, Jaelee signed with Mountain Home Music Company, was invited to join the multi-award winning, all-female supergroup Sister Sadie on guitar and vocals and received the IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year and IBMA Vocal Group of the Year awards. By 2022, she had released her debut full-length album Something You Didn’t Count On which became an immediate commercial and critical success. The album debuted in the Top Ten on the Billboard Bluegrass Album chart and peaked at #2 on the Bluegrass Unlimited album chart. The album won the 2023 Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) Album of the Year award, and Jaelee was also named Female Vocalist of the Year. In September of 2023, Jaelee made her solo debut at the Grand Ole Opry.