A teacher made the introduction. The music did the rest. An Awakening for sure. With Garland Jeffreys in his ears, Mr Pete discovered a lost prophet. Enjoy this WowMe! —the editor
In my High School Day I carried a blank notebook from class to class. I referred to it as my Book of Dreams and within it I would transcribe from memory the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen songs.
To paraphrase the lyrics to the Stone’s “I Know It’s Only Rock n Roll (but I Like It).
I felt Bruce took his pen and stabbed it into my heart —bleeding MY thoughts, MY dreams, and MY emotions all over his page.
After class one day I made a feverish pitch to my English Teacher about the madness and the glory of the music of Bruce Springsteen. He listened to me calmly and then firmly stated:
Wait… What?!
“Bruce is not the only person who is a SOUL WHISPER,” he said. I watched as tilting his eyes down, the teacher proudly proclaimed, “You need to hear the music of Garland Jeffreys.”
Who?!
That kind teacher then gifted me with a cassette copy of “GHOSTWRITER” — a Garland Jeffreys’ 1977 effort released on A&M Records.
About Ghostwriter (the GIFT!)…
Conceived with the help of some of NYC’s finest studio musicians, the sound was unique and freshly vibrant. The lyrics, as read by me, thrived like an Urban Thesis, a literary exploration on the themes of Lust, Liberty, Dreams and Desires, The Sinner and the Saint, The Madness and the Glory…
This was an Awakening, like discovering a lost prophet.
My soul no longer felt trapped in the swamps of Jersey.
My “street-heart (beat)” hungered for more, and away I went!
More Jeffreys Please…
Along this adventure I gathered the following testaments:
GhostWriter (1977)
One-Eye Jack (1978)
American Boy & Girl (1979)
Escape Artist (1981)
A deep dive I did!
I often found myself working with mysteries, sharing the evidence without explaining the clues…
An Invitation to Listen Along!
Garland Jeffreys – Wild in the Streets (Official Music Video)
A minor underground hit from GhostWriter
Garland Jeffreys – New York Skyline (Official Music Video)
Another track from GhostWriter. Often played during 9/11 tributes.
Garland Jeffreys – Matador | The Story Behind The Song | Top 2000 a gogo
From the American Boy & Girl album
Notable: Found success in Europe. Upon hearing this in the studio Gene Simmons (KISS) proclaimed “Sounds like a hit!”
Garland Jeffreys – Hail Hail Rock ‘N’ Roll (Official Music Video)
From Don’t Call Me Buckwheat
My friend Bob and I were in NYC watching video of the Rodney King Riots on C-SPAN when we decided to turn the sound down and play this LP as a background soundtrack
The Documentary…
True that if you Google “Garland Jeffreys” and go to his website (https://www.garlandjeffreys.com/), the documentary is the lead. Created by his wife Claire, catch the trailer here:
Yeah… The announcement of this documentary (and subsequent stories) point out that this gifted artist is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The documentary had its debut in June 6 at the IFC Center in New York City. It is available now via streaming.
Choose your platform.
Note: It’s “FREE” on TUBI. Beware of the frequent commercial breaks, though if you take this route.
That’s a Wrap!
I highly encourage you to acquaint (or reacquaint) yourself with this incredible artist. I’m certainly glad he popped back into my life. Thanks for reading & listening. —Mr Pete
Bonus Clip…
Great Forgotten Records: Garland Jeffreys – “Ghost Writer”“Garland’s music is power, it is honest and it speaks to Everyone”
About Mr Pete
A music aficionado, Mr. Pete’s mind and ears have no horizons. He has the uncanny ability to suss out the right song for the right time — a skill that is truly amazing. The Gang here at Jedemi enjoys his contributions.
—30—
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