Jordan Andrew Jefferson

Who is Jordan?

Growing up, my parents always had the turntable spinning. They would play anything from Baroque to 60's folk and rock. I knew even then, as a young naive child in Huntington, WV, listening as my pop made mixed-tapes for my mom just how powerful music truly can be.

The older I got and as life's challenges grew, music stayed with me as a constant companion. The doorway to music opened up to a realm of freedom and expression, a world I saw so divine and healing as I lived with a very misunderstood "A.D.D." while attending a conservative Christian school.

Then as I was transitioning to not only public education but also the "awkward teen years" I quickly learned just how close music and I would become and still remain. There for my first broken heart. Endless summer days with neighborhood kids. The day my grandfather died. Rockin' out with my brother and next door neighbor in my first band (ask me about our big hit "Paranoid"). That sacred bench in town where I would write all day and night. Starting high school. Hating high school. My first kiss. My second broken heart. Sneaking out of the house to Columbus with my best friend...

At 17 as I was in the car with my pop passing through Main Street and Central Avenue at one very life changing moment. It was then I heard "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys sweetly crashing through the radio speakers! That day began the life-long marriage between pop music and myself. 

In 2008, after years of performing as bassist and lead vocalist for 2 local area indie rock bands, I knew the time had come to spread my indie pop wings and take my solo flight. That fall I entered the studio to cut my solo debut single for ukulele, "Believe In Me" (released that December), which would later (in 2010) become the title track to my self-funded, composed, performed and co-produced 13-song debut full length. The album features many fan favorites from the lush, dreamy opener "Keep It Low" to the one-of-a-kind "Coconuts For You" to the intimate string laden ballad "The Boy In The Shadows". The most successful tune from the album has been the rockin' power-pop tune "The Air I Breathe" which is recieving major radio air-play in Orlando, Florida as well as being featued on Pop Garden Radio's "Rock On The Road Season 2" compilation (which also features former Sony Records recording artist Mike Viola, session lead vocalist for the Tom Hanks' rock and roll major motion picture "That Thing You Do!").

In support of the album I have released 3 official music videos: to film "Don't Stress What You Cannot Change" I traveled 32 hours directly to New Orleans, LA to film over a 2 day period and immediately return home!! I also travelled to Myrtle Beach, SC in December, swimming in the frigid Atlantic Ocean with an air temperature of 30 degrees, to film "Believe In Me"!! The other video,"The Air I Breathe" was filmed in a beautiful local park with several inches of snow on the ground featuring a Unkranian beauty as my co-star. In 2009 the single "Believe In Me" was selected to be featured as a movement in a Marshall Univeristy ballet production where I performed the tune live on stage along side the dancers.

Of the album, Blog Critis wrote, "Jordan Andrew Jefferson takes every pop cliché, and I mean every, and makes them his own form of pop genius. It's really admirable that he not only doesn't avoid pop stereotypes, but embraces them and finds a way to make them work. (Jordan) tighty grasps your heartstrings and refuses to let go...totally impossible to listen to without a huge smile on your face. Jordan will charm his way into the music collection of every pop-lover out there." Probyn Gregory (member of former Beach Boy, Brian Wilson's Band and 2005 Grammy Award Winner) wrote "So direct and universal...very good; good songs, production and singing."

While perfoming in support of the record, Marshall University's Parthanon said "To Jefferson, being a musician means more than playing shows and having fans. It's about connecting" while Huntington's Herald Dispatch was quoted saying of his performances "Unique originals...unlike anyone else. Fun and frisky pop...talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter."

In early 2011 I entered the studio to begin work on a new 5-song Summer EP (July 2011), "Laleh", featuring the lead-off title track, a piano driven pop-dance tune inspired by Swedish indie-pop singer-songwriter of the same name, as well as other 2 other new originals, a remix of the single and a stripped, raw, passionate performance of The Beach Boys' hit "Don't Worry Baby". 

Scott Simons of Bug Music Publishing (Los Angeles, CA) and Rostrum Records recording artist wrote, "Awesome hearing pop coming out of West Virginia! I think you have a great sense of melody and emotion in your songs. The production is pretty hip." 

Never one to slow down, and always working to progress with my songwriting, production, and vocal and instrumental performance while continually keeping a busy live schedule, I have just released a new single (September 2011) titled "First There Is A Mountain". This new single is an uplifting rock tune with a huge sonic chorus laden with healing power-pop harmonies contrasting a moody, eerie, brooding pattern of verses with elements of Baroque classical music woven throughout. The lyrics are an honest, poetic, personal account of my years dealing with depression and anxiety; deep and dark, yet revealing a halo of hope.

Now at 28, the journey is far from over! I love nothing more than performing my original indie-pop music live, making friends and fans while returning again and again to the studio recording new material, advancing not only as a musician but as a true artist! Music is my life and often at times, the only thing that makes sense. Who is Jordan? Listen to my music then ask yourself that same question. If you don't know by then you just might never understand. To quote The Beach Boys' Dennis Wilson, "There's no escape from being honest. On the inside, we're always honest. On the outside, we can bullshit. Inside, there's no escape". 

The groundwork has been done. The music written. Now all I need is you: a close family of friends to further support my creativity. Sure, I might not be everyone's cup-o-tea and I'm fine with that. But one thing I'm certain of is that if you stand by me, I'll stand by you. I love nothing more than to see you smile and I feel truly honored and blessed to have you on my side. A lotta work behind me and even more lies a head - but I love it and would enjoy doing nothing else. Thank you for believing in me! What's next? God only knows......

Thanks so much for checking it all out. Like what I do? Spread the word. 

Love and Mercy!