Garland Jeffreys

Garland Jeffreys was born on June 29, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, of African American and Puerto Rican descent. He developed an early interest in music, influenced by the diverse sounds of his childhood neighborhood, Sheepshead Bay. Jeffreys attended Syracuse University, where he majored in art history and formed a friendship with Lou Reed. His professional music career began in 1966, playing in Manhattan nightclubs such as Gerde’s Folk City and The Bitter End. In 1969, he played guitar on John Cale’s debut solo album, “Vintage Violence,” and contributed the song “Fairweather Friend.” He then founded Grinder’s Switch, releasing one album before the band disbanded in 1970.

His solo career began with his self-titled debut album in 1973 on Atlantic Records. During this period, he wrote “Wild in the Streets,” a song that gained significant airplay on progressive FM radio upon its re-release in 1977 and became one of his most recognized tracks, later covered by artists like The Circle Jerks. In 1977, he released “Ghost Writer” on A&M Records, an album featuring autobiographical themes. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a prolific period with five albums released, including “American Boy & Girl” (1979) which featured the hit single “Matador,” charting in the top five in several countries. After a hiatus, he returned with “Don’t Call Me Buckwheat” (1992), an album that addressed the complexities of race in America, inspired by a personal experience. His song “Hail Hail Rock ‘n’ Roll” reached No. 11 in Germany and No. 72 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1992.

After taking time to raise his daughter, Jeffreys resumed performing in 2001, frequently joining Bruce Springsteen at his Christmas shows and supporting The Light of Day Foundation. In 2003, he was featured in Wim Wenders’s documentary “The Soul of a Man,” part of Martin Scorsese’s “The Blues” series. In 2011, he established his own Luna Park Records label and released “The King of In Between,” which received critical acclaim and earned spots on NPR and Rolling Stone’s ‘Best Of’ lists. He continued to release music, including “Truth Serum” (2013) and “14 Steps To Harlem” (2017). In 2016, he was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. Jeffreys announced his retirement from regular live performances in April 2019.