Garland Jeffreys

Garland Jeffreys is an American singer and songwriter known for his unique blend of rock and roll, reggae, blues, and soul music, with a career spanning over five decades. After establishing his professional music career in Manhattan nightclubs such as Gerde’s Folk City and The Bitter End in 1966, Garland Jeffreys made his recording debut in 1969, playing guitar on John Cale’s debut solo album, ‘Vintage Violence,’ and contributing the song ‘Fairweather Friend.’ He then founded Grinder’s Switch, releasing one album before embarking on his solo career with his self-titled debut album in 1973 on Atlantic Records. During this period, he penned ‘Wild in the Streets,’ a track that garnered significant airplay on progressive FM radio upon its re-release in 1977 and became one of his most recognized works, later covered by artists including The Circle Jerks. In 1977, he released the autobiographical album ‘Ghost Writer’ on A&M Records.

11 in Germany and No. 72 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1992. Jeffreys resumed performing in 2001, frequently joining Bruce Springsteen at his Christmas shows and lending support to The Light of Day Foundation. His artistic journey was further documented in Wim Wenders’s 2003 film ‘The Soul of a Man,’ a segment of Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed ‘The Blues’ series.

In April 2019, Jeffreys announced his retirement from regular live performances, concluding a distinguished career spanning over five decades and leaving an indelible mark on rock and roll, reggae, blues, and soul music.