Twelve-year-old singer-songwriter Jack Barksdale is premiering the new music video for his song "Never to Love Me" exclusively for readers of The Boot. Press play above to watch Barksdale's expert-level finger-picking and hear his wiser-than-his-years vocals.

"Never to Love Me" was written by Barksdale, but it doesn't come from his own life experience (mainly because he's only 12!). Still, the song features incredibly vivid imagery: "The door swung open; there was still a meal on the table / She was never to love me, so she just ran out the door," Barksdale sings. "My father, he told me that love is just a foolish game / And all it rewards you is a lifetime of heartache and pain."

"With most of my songs, including "Never to Love Me," I write about things I have never experienced," Barksdale tells The Boot. "I just tell stories. Honestly, I've never even had a girlfriend."

Barksdale's music video for "Never to Love Me" was recorded live at the iconic Niles City Sound Studio in Fort Worth, Texas, in front of a live audience. "We really wanted to capture the magic of the live show that night," Barksdale says. "We had 50 people come into Niles City Sound, and I performed a 45-minute set. We had three cameras set up and just let them roll and filmed the entire live show."

Born and based in Texas, Barksdale has already shared the stage with a couple of Texas icons, including Ray Wylie Hubbard and Hayes Carll. In late June, he released a live album called Live From Niles City, on which this version of "Never to Love Me" appears.

In the coming months, Barksdale has appearances planned at the Old Quarter in Galveston, Texas, and the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival. If "all goes well," he says, he'll be releasing a new single before the end of the year. Fans can keep up with him at JackBarksdale.com.

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