Of course, hopes are high given the reception his self-titled Universal debut disc received upon its release in 1995. By the time that album had run its course, McCoy and everyone involved with the project were able to sit back and accept the praise it had earned from both the industry and the public. Three number one singles ("This Used To Be Our Town", "Learnin' A Lot About Love", and "Candle") led to numerous nominations in both the Juno Awards and Canadian Country Music Association Awards over a two year span, plus the well deserved honour of being named Outstanding New Country Artist at the 1996 RPM Big Country Awards.

After that hectic two year run, there was no question that Jason was playin' for keeps, and that couldn't be more evident after listening to his new collection of songs. It's a body of work that finds him keeping one foot in the traditional sound while the other dips into a few of the roots music tributaries that effortlessly flow into country music.

"I started playing when I was pretty young, so I've learned to watch what works and what doesn't, plus I'm definitely maturing," admits the artist who had been writing with some of the country music industry's cream of the crop in the songwriting field. Names like Craig Wiseman, Al Anderson, and Clay Curtis preface song credits, and the calibre of players who entered the studio with McCoy were first class, to say the least. For instance, Anderson, the former member of NRBQ, long-time Carlene Carter associate, and major country hit writer, not only co-wrote "Get A Real Job" on PLAYIN' FOR KEEPS, he ripped it up on electric guitar when it came time to cut the tune.

"When I think about it, every session felt complete. The players were outstanding. Reese Wynans who was in the late Stevie Ray Vaughan's band is known as a great Hammond B3 organ player, and you can hear that on the album. But he also came up with some beautiful piano stuff," recalls McCoy.

And when a legend like Delbert McClinton agreed to participate on the re-recording of the old Powder Blues hit "Doin' It Right", it was pretty much the icing on the cake for Jason as far as the studio work was concerned.

"Delbert McClinton came into the studio and started telling great stories about John Lennon as well as the Texas music scene and just fell in. We were a pretty attentive audience and then he just blew us away with the horn parts he played on harmonica for the song," says McCoy with a lot of enthusiasm.

The first single off the new disc is another uptempo, gritty, powerhouse of a tune called "Born Again In Dixieland", that finds the perfect balance between Jason's hard-edged country vocal delivery, and an instrumental arrangements that is groove injected.

"Now it's time to take these songs to the audiences. While we were working on the album, and not doing many gigs, I found out that playing live was more than something I missed - I went through withdrawal," laughs McCoy, who will be touring Canada from St. John's Newfoundland through to Victoria B.C. by the end of 1997.

"As a live unit, we'd gotten better and better and I think our commitment to the live show has been noticed. One indicator was that mail from our fans didn't slow down in the period between the releases and to my surprise, it was coming in from all parts of the country. We are going to concentrate and pay more attention to touring Quebec and the Maritimes this time around when we get back on the road."

If Jason McCoy sounds as though he's a young man who is absorbing and taking note of everything going on in the music business, and business of making music, it's because, to his credit, that is exactly what he's doing. And if a reminder is needed, Jason's commitment and attitude may have something to do with the fact that he wrote his first song at the age of 12 and not long afterward was sitting in with musicians twice and three times his age in taverns in his hometown of Minesing, Ontario. It's a long way from those days to touring across the nation headlining at festivals, sharing stages with Martina McBride, John Berry, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and charting three number one singles, but it's all part of Jason McCoy's on-going and fulfilling musical journey.

A journey that is headed down the right road, and one that finds him playin' for keeps.