BAND DETAIL: Jay Michaels

By writing and singing songs that reflected his own life, Jay Michaels found himself a mirror that reflected the joys, heartaches, thrills, spills and lost nights of young fresh-faced America. His is a world of first loves, first broken hearts and the unfurling of lives that are transitioning from school to the real world. That veracity of burgeoning adulthood found its roots on his debut project, "On My Way Up" and it offers a newfound maturity to his latest single, "Live And Learn."

"Anyone who's passionate about music is emotional," says the two time reigning 2005 Terry Awards Male Vocalist Of The Year. "I'm at peace with where I am in life." "I'm 31 yrs. old and am so fortunate to be able to spend alot of my time with the two most beautiful women in the world." The two beautiful women Michaels is referring to would be his two daughters, Madison Jean (3yrs) and Hannah Jordan (20mo)

Indeed, Michael's own surging mid-tempo "Small Town USA" is a mission statement about music's ability to be more than the soundtrack for one's life-but a companion that is as much a part of defining the moments as the place or what's said.

"That song is totally about my life and how I grew up...and the way certain songs just put you in the moment, when it's happening and years later when they catch you off guard, transporting you again."

Jay Michaels, raised in tiny Seymour, Texas, is as typical as they come. Perhaps the shortest in the history of high school football, but he made the team. He loved some girls. He had some laughs. He went to college. He found a dream. And then he hung on with everything he had.

Jay's first stent of road life spanned across more than 13 states. "I remember opening for Merle in Longview, Texas and then waking up 24 hrs. later in a run-down motel in Jackson, Wyoming." This charismatic singer songwriter's charm and warm timbered vocals was certainly tested on his first tour.

Appropriately enough, this singer-songwriter has been one of Texas most consistent recording artist over the last decade. Could it be the deepening maturity of a young man who has experienced enough of life to realize who he is but how much he still doesn't understand?

Certainly sure-handed to this point in his career, Jay Michaels has, if anything, tightened his artistic grip. He has become secure in himself-accepting of his strengths while mindful of his challenges.

"Live and Learn," Michaels' most recent title track that he penned about the struggles of life and the maturity one gains as one gets older has just now become available at his live shows. The accumulated experiences that have shaped his life and music trace all the way back to his teenage years spent performing in and around his hometown. They include the devotion he has to his two daughters, and most importantly his abiding, life-long faith, which Michaels continues to embrace and explore.

"Where I'm from, no matter what you listen to, you talk country, you think country, you are country...And that's a good thing. It means something. And, truly, when you scrape it all away, that's who I am. So that'll always be the place I come back to."

Jay Michaels, with a million miles in between is truly an artist, whom once you hear, you'll always unmistakably know that's his unique sound. Should you have a chance to meet this young man, he offers so much more than a song. He'll offer you his life



"Live and Learn," Michaels' most recent title track that he penned about the struggles of life and the maturity one gains as one gets older has just now become available at his live shows. The accumulated experiences that have shaped his life and music trace all the way back to his teenage years spent performing in and around his hometown. They include the devotion he has to his two daughters, and most importantly his abiding, life-long faith, which Michaels continues to embrace and explore.

"Where I'm from, no matter what you listen to, you talk country, you think country, you are country...And that's a good thing. It means something. And, truly, when you scrape it all away, that's who I am. So that'll always be the place I come back to."

Jay Michaels, with a million miles in between is truly an artist, whom once you hear, you'll always unmistakably know that's his unique sound. Should you have a chance to meet this young man, he offers so much more than a song. He'll offer you his life