Garland Jeffreys: Biography

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• Lou Reed
• Warren Zevon

• Marah
• Circle Jerks
• Patti Scialfa

• Joe Dworniak

• Garland Jeffreys & Grinder's Switch

• Michael Brecker
• David Sanborn
• Hugh McCracken
• Alan Taff Freedman

Born:

Jan 1, 1944 in Brooklyn, NY

Genres:

Rock 'N' Roll Oldies Music, Rock Music, Singer/Songwriter Rock Music

Decades Active:

1960's|1970's|1980's|1990's|2000's

Artistic Quality

Low

Cultural Impact

Low

Popularity

Low

Ratings Guide

Born and raised in Brooklyn, singer, songwriter and guitarist Garland Jeffreys began his career performing in Manhattan nightclubs as a solo act in 1966 after attending college at Syracuse University as an art major, where he became friends with Lou Reed. After graduation, he spent a short time in Italy studying art before coming back to Manhattan to further his education at New York's Institute of Arts while working with several city bands, including Train and Romeo. After forming a group called Grinder's Switch in 1969, they released one album, Grinder's Switch Featuring Garland Jeffreys, before breaking up in 1970.

Jeffreys soon returned to performing as a solo act, playing small Manhattan clubs until signing with Atlantic Records in 1973, where he released his self-titled debut album later that year. The album, which featured songs about New York street life, aligned him with Reed and other early punk-rock pioneers and spurred the hit "Wild in the Streets," which helped him stake out his place on the musical map. The song was so successful on the then-emerging FM radio that he recorded it again in 1977 for his second solo album, Ghost Writer (his first for AM Records), on which he explored topics including interracial romance ("I May Not Be Your Kind") and mandatory busing ("Why-O"). Jeffreys returned a year later with One Eyed Jack, and recorded one more album for AM in 1979, American Boy Girl.

After extensive mid-'70s tours with reggae artists like Toots the Maytals and Jimmy Cliff, Jeffreys jumped to Epic Records to record three more albums, 1980's Escape Artist, 1982's Rock 'n' Roll Adult, and 1983's Guts for Love; for a songwriter as prolific as Jeffreys, it was ironic that his only chart single from period was a cover of ? and the Mysterians' "96 Tears," which featured a pumping organ and a unique arrangement. After a long absence, he recorded his 1992 debut for RCA Records, Don't Call Me Buckwheat, which offered such powerful statements about race matters and racism as "Welcome to the World."

- Richard Skelly, All Music Guide