Name: Josh Jenkins

Age: 26

Hometown: Ft. Worth

AHD: How do you describe the Green River Ordinance sound to someone who’s never heard your music?

JJ: Pop rock with a twist of southern soul. We started out in high school as a blues-rock band and then transitioned into pop-rock style.

AHD: What’s your favorite part of being the front man in a rock and roll band?

JJ: I love the challenge of bringing the crowd into what we’re doing. When people feel like they are a part of something it's memorable. They carry that with them for a long time.

AHD: Are you the songwriter, or is that a shared responsibility?

JJ: Songwriting is something that is always fresh and different for us. We try to explore all methods of writing. It’s great and very challenging that a song has to go through 5 different lenses.

AHD: Your music seems to deal a lot with relationships. Does your music have an overarching message? If so, what is it?

JJ: I think relationships have always been easy to pull inspiration from. There are so many stories to be told about navigating those waters. I think a very impactful thing for anyone to understand is that we all experience similar joy, pain, confusion, and doubt. We want our music to convey that truth. If we have one overarching theme it’s that, amidst any of these, there is always hope.

AHD: What’s it like to make it to the national scene having come from Fort Worth? Have your North Texas roots benefited the band in any way?

JJ: We have a good amount of pride for the great state of Texas. When we’re on the road we tell tall tales of horseback rides and dusty roads. Ha! We love to embellish others’ already stereotypical ideas about Texas. There are so many great artists in the DFW area.

AHD: GRO is involved in some great charity work. Will you tell us a little bit about hopeGROs.com and give us an update on its progress?

JJ: hopeGROs.com is a website we created that allows fans to donate money to one of 5 charities we picked, all in exchange for music. We’ve tried to continually ask ourselves how we can use what we have been given for something bigger than ourselves? hopeGROs.com was born out of that question. It has been extremely encouraging to see people react and get involved.

AHD: Has the band always had a heart for helping others in need, or is this a new emphasis that’s come along as you’ve found more success and matured as artists?

JJ: To be honest it has been a challenge to remind ourselves that this is not about us. It is very easy to get caught up in the attractiveness of success and forget why we are here. There are a handful of people that have really shaped and challenged what this looks like for us. I hope that in 20 years people will remember GRO for the way we loved more than for our music. 

AHD: Do you feel like your success has given you a platform to do this kind of work?

JJ: Absolutely. I think any level of success gives you an audience that will listen to what you have to say. 

AHD: It is obvious you and your bandmates feel a sense of responsibility. To whom do you feel responsible, and why?

JJ: We try to operate and live in the reality that everything is a gift we don’t deserve. There are endless pieces of evidence of God’s grace throughout our journey both as a band and as people. That allows us to play music and write songs with the freedom to know it’s not about us.

AHD: It looks like the band is currently in the studio. What’s next for GRO?

JJ: We are finishing up a record in early August. Shortly after, we will gear up for the tour and record release at the first of the year.

AHD: In the constantly evolving music industry, is it as good a time as any to try and go it alone, as an independent rock band?

JJ: To be independent or not to be? That is a great question. We certainly love the idea of having total control, but we also understand the importance of a label. There are so many new tools that give independent artists an edge they didn’t previously have.

AHD: How can our readers become part of the GRO family? Where can they find you online?

JJ: The GRO family is on twitter @gro and facebook. Join us there.