Jesse Welles, born in 1992 in Ozark, Arkansas, began playing guitar at age 11 and drew early influences from '60s rock and folk, including The Beatles. He performed under names like Jeh Sea Wells and fronted the rock band Dead Indian, releasing albums such as Lead Me to the Sky in 2013, before adopting the moniker Welles and issuing the grungy Red Trees and White Trashes in 2018. After extensive touring and a label drop amid the pandemic, he returned to Arkansas and paused music until his father's 2024 heart attack prompted a shift to solo folk recording. Since early 2024, Welles has released multiple albums including Middle, which earned Grammy nominations in Americana and Roots categories, alongside an EP and over 100 songs in a year. His style blends folk-rock with protest themes addressing war, fentanyl, corporate practices, and social issues, often delivered via viral social media videos filmed in the Ozarks. Welles is known for live performances marked by direct engagement, blending confrontation and empathy in his acoustic sets. He has appeared at Farm Aid, with Joan Baez at the Fillmore, and on shows like Jimmy Kimmel and Joe Rogan.