Global Songwriters Member Spotlight
Jay Brehmer, Singer/Songwriter
I suppose I have my father to thank for my musical journey. After all, he was the person who convinced me to join orchestra and take bass lessons when I was in the third grade. My father loves music, but the only thing he knows how to play is the radio. So I took bass lessons and played with the orchestra and symphony all through school. In addition to the bass I played the baritone in band as well as percussion and eventually learned how to play the guitar. In 6th grade I got my first bass guitar and started a band. We played together until it was time for us to grow up and head off to college in various parts of the country. I still stay in touch with Todd, the lead guitar player; he has made music a career by writing and producing music for advertising, film and television and owns a studio in downtown Minneapolis. I have been in bands playing all different genres of music over the years. There were many rock “cover” bands and a bluegrass band that I still play with occasionally.
I began writing with my band members in my first band. At that time the words were not as important as the music. When we played out we would sneak the original tunes in between the Styx, Rush and REO Speedwagon covers. My writing stopped when that band broke up and we all went our separate ways. Then in 1999, I joined some friends on a trip to Nashville to attend another friend’s showcase, and I began to write again.
As a result of that I now make regular trips to Nashville to visit with and write with the many friends I have made over the years. I have tried to concentrate on improving my writing skills and it seems I learn something new every time I write. I have won numerous awards from the Songwriters of Wisconsin, taken numerous classes from people like Steve Seskin and Pat Pattison. My next goal is getting the elusive cut. I heard this somewhere and it seems to fit me perfectly. “Music has always been a big part of my life, now my life is a big part of my music.”
