Biography - Part 2
 Jason also participated in chorale his senior year. Jason recalls, "I was just looking for an elective to fill up my schedule. I wasn't even serious about learning how to sing. I remember auditioning for Rick Pruitt (Mr. P) who was the choir director at the time. He used to be my music teacher when I was in elementary school, and it had been that long since I had even sung in a school choir. It was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made." Amazingly, Jason auditioned and made it into the high school chorale, a group of the most talented singers and sight-readers in the high school. "I don't know what Mr. P heard in my voice that day, but he must have heard something he liked. I thought I would get stuck in the freshman choir!" While participating in choir, Jason learned basic music theory, sight-reading, and how to sing on pitch. "It really gave me a good fundamental knowledge of music theory and singing," Jason says. During that year, Jason began to listen to country music. Jason recalls, "I remember going fishing with my brother Troy up to Houston County Lake that year. Troy loved country music, and we listened to it for 2 solid hours on the way up to the lake. I remember listening to Tracy Lawrence's 'Alibis' and Clint Black's 'When My Ships Come In,' and I thought to myself, 'this sounds pretty good.' Up to that point, I had listened to soft rock, pop, heavy metal and even some rap. Plus, being in FFA around my 'kikker' friends, I couldn't help but listen to country music." Troy picked up on Jason's growing interest in country music, and he decided to teach Jason how to play guitar. "Troy must have owned about 15 guitars back then, and he brought me a 1977 Epiphone acoustic guitar. Troy is a good guitar player, and he is an awesome drummer. My oldest brother Darin is an awesome bass guitarist too. If they were living in Texas right now, I believe we could put together a band that would rival anyone. Both Darin and Troy played in heavy metal bands during the 80's, so I grew up listening to Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne. Music runs in my family. My dad even played drums in a band when he was in the Navy." Jason learned a few basic chords and was on his way to learning how to play rhythm acoustic guitar. However, it didn't happen immediately. "I remember always complaining about my fingers hurting. That guitar had heavy strings, and the strings seemed like they were at least an inch above the fret board. I actually quit playing for a while because my fingers hurt so bad." A few calluses and a lot of persistence later, Jason was playing and singing country music. In fact, Jason did his first live performance in his Spanish II class that year. Jason recalls, "We had to conduct an interview in Spanish, and as the interviewee, I pretended like I was a famous country music singer. At the end of the interview, I got out my guitar and sang 'Ocean Front Property' by George Strait. The class seemed to like it, and I got an A on the project. Luckily, I did not have to sing in Spanish." Jason went on to perform at the choir pop show at the end of the year where he made his first public performance, singing "Easy Come, Easy Go, by George Strait. Jason recalls, "I remember being so nervous, but I got a standing ovation both nights we did the show. I remember Mr. P asking me, 'where were you three years ago?' I wish I had come to him sooner, and I could have been in choir all four years. " At the end of his senior year, Jason auditioned for a voice scholarship to San Jacinto College. He earned the scholarship and decided to attend San Jacinto College during his freshman year. That one year of choir would spark an interest in Jason that would help him define who he was and which direction to go to pursue his dreams.
During his junior year of high school, Jason found love for the first time. Jason recalls, "I remember always feeling like there was something wrong with me because none of the girls at school would take a second look at me or even talk to me. I thought I was ugly, and I remember always telling my mom that I was never getting married." Jason found a girl that was in three of his classes that year. Jason recalls, "she seemed really shy and quiet; just like me. The first thing I noticed was her smile. I didn't even have the guts to ask for her phone number. I had to get it through a mutual friend of ours. I remember being so nervous that I would dial the first 9 digits of her phone number, and then I would hang up because I didn't have the guts to dial the tenth. I must have done that ten times before I finally gained enough courage to dial her number." One date and six years later, Jason married his high school sweetheart: Misty Dawn Duggan.
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