I have loved singing since I was a little boy growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana. My mother believed I had musical talent and tried to get me to take music lessons at an early age, but I was too restless to sit down and learn an instrument. I was more interested in kicking a soccer ball around and playing football and basketball with my friends than sitting at home learning music theory. My father was always strumming on his Martin around the house, belting out various old folk/country/blues tunes. Songs that come to mind are "Oxe Driver's Song", "John Henry", "Ella Speed", "Frankie and Johnny", but also "Lovesick Blues", "In The Jailhouse Now", "Folsom Prison Blues" and many many more. Playing music and singing came completely naturally to my father. I don't think he ever had to practice much at all; he just played and played well. I don't recall him ever encouraging me or my sister to play, but he inspired us indirectly. One day during the summer before my senior year of high school I picked up one of my father's old dusty guitars and started trying to play myself. It wasn't easy at first, but I made progress quickly. I always thought I had a good voice (how vain I was!) and began to find inspiration in music. I was quite shy and it took me about a year and a half before I could play at all in front of others and about two more years after that before I began to feel confident performing. I have received a lot of encouragement along the way from friends and other musicians some of whom have made big names for themselves such as George Schmidt of the New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra as well my college fraternity brother and flatmate Nashville songwriter Melvern Rivers Rutherford. Influences over the years have included: Lead Belly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the Reverend Gary Davis, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, Edward Gay (my father), Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Pete Townshend, Towns van Zandt, Gordon Lightfoot, John Fogerty, Lowell George, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello and closer to my age, Kurt Cobain and Rivers Rutherford. I also love rock music, especially when it has strong acoustic elements to it. Among my favorite rock bands are the Beatles, the Kinks, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Allman Brothers Band, Little Feat, the Eagles, Rush, Zebra, Pearl Jam, as well as the German/American rock project Dying Need! I have written a lot of new songs which I hope to be recording in the next few months so come back and visit my page again when you get the chance.All the best,J.G.
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The portrait of me used in my profile was painted by the New Orleans artist George Schmidt in 1988. For more of his work go to: www.georgeschmidt.com
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