About - Jill McCracken

jill

most soul artists can caress listeners with a song, but how many can say their music reaches out and asks for a caress in return? Jill McCracken knows comfort goes both ways, and they'd like their share of the love, please and thank you.

As one of Boston’s leading singer-songwriters, Jill McCracken paints with strokes of compassion and warmth, using their long-standing love of songcraft to grip listeners to the soft spots of their heart. Their ears are trained to translate tenderness into works of art — and so is their eye for sentimental visuals, thanks in part to their BFA in Fine Art Photography.

Originally from western New York, McCracken’s obsession with strong songs began at just eight years old, long before they began tinkering on the guitar and drums as a preteen. It wasn’t until they were 19 that the world got to hear their strongest instrument – their voice – but they've been using it to embrace crowds ever since.

Now rooted at the core of the Boston music community, McCracken’s passion for writing, arranging, and producing music remains front and center in their career, although their knack for pivoting between sparse solo sets and boisterous big band performances is just as impressive.

“I’ve always been a lot:
big ideas,
high standards,
loud voice”

Dependents

2025

McCracken's outreach has clearly resonated with the Boston scene. Following their win for "Soul/R&B Act of the Year" from the New England Music Awards, the Boston songwriter scored nominations for "Singer/Songwriter of the Year" and "Vocalist of the Year" in the Boston Music Awards.

“dependents”, available august 2025, is the first single off mccracken’s forthcoming sophomore LP, recorded and mixed by andrew oedel (anderson .paak, rachael price) at ghost hit recording in western massachusetts. this haunting anthem delivers raspy passion over a relentless daptone-inspired groove on the songwriter’s journey to claw their way to self-reliance.