Jared Ellis is rarely at a loss for words — until he’s asked to describe his music.
His songs, Ellis said, don’t necessarily fit into a single genre. Some sound as if they’d fit right in on a country music radio station, a few have elements of pop music. There’s even a hint of hip-hop tossed in for good measure.
“The best way to classify it may be to call it lyrical,” said Ellis, 32, who will bring his musical talents to the Iola Community Theatre Warehouse at 7 p.m. Friday as part of ICT’s “One Night Stand” free coffee house performance series.
Ellis will be accompanied with Iolan Randy Maple, who will provide the lead guitar with Ellis’ acoustic talents through a medley of original songs.
“I’m not good enough to do cover songs yet,” Ellis joked. “Everything will be what I wrote.”
Many of his songs have a hint of spirituality as well.
“I like music that makes you ask questions,” said Ellis, who recently joined Fellowship Regional Church as a minister, where he leads Saturday evening services at the worship center.
“My music is spiritual, but it’s not necessarily religious,” he said.
In any event, audiences are certain to enjoy Ellis’ performance, said Richard Spencer, a director with ICT.
“He made the mistake of letting me hear him play,” Spencer said. “We’re always excited about introducing performers to the community.”
Ellis was introduced to music at a young age. His father, Bill Ellis of Caney, wrote scores of songs.
Ellis, who formerly served as a minister at RiverTree Christian Church, worked for a spell at the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center before joining Fellowship Regional earlier this month.
“I hopped on board with Jeff (Cokely, pastor at Fellowship Regional) because I liked what I saw him doing,” Ellis said. “He saw a group of people looking for something spiritually. They’re the ones who may not go to church otherwise.”
Ellis enjoys performing almost as much as he enjoys the Iola community.
“We absolutely love it here,” he said. “My wife and I are crazy about this town.”
Ellis brings ‘lyrical’ style to ICT
