Press Kit

piano ballads that would sound at home on any Billy Joel album… (Aaron Rubin, Co-Opted Music)

Unique songwriting talent…great protruding melody in each and every one of their songs… hard not to like. (Naomi Allaway, InSite Editor – London, UK)

Jeff Michaels

After 7 years fronting his group Even Elroy, Jeff Michaels has reinvented his sound, positioning his brand of intelligent piano rock alongside artists such as David Gray, Ingrid Michaelson, Ben Folds and John Mayer.

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PUBLICITY PHOTOS: (Please click the following links for hi-res photos):

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PROMO VIDEOS:

Jeff Michaels – Profile Video

Jeff Michaels – Live from Johnny D’s

BIO

Jeff Michaels is a Boston & San Francisco-based singer/songwriter and piano player. Take a little Ben Folds, a little Billy Joel, a dash of Dave Matthews, and a good helping of rock n’ roll, and you get an inkling of Michaels’ sound, or what Evolution of Media refers to as “refreshing and exciting, with a sound that will never fade.”

A self-taught pianist with a gift for matching instantly hum-able melodies with unique lyrics, Michaels has recorded with members of the Counting Crows, Train, and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, to name a few. His music has been featured in multiple TV shows, including The Real World on MTV, Teen Moms, The T.O. Show, Jam Party video game (Zivix / Peavey), and the theme song for The Restaurant sitcom pilot, featuring the largest ever Boston SAG production.

Michaels began his performing career at the age of 18 in a local oldies band, often having to be snuck in the back door of bars and clubs just to play. Patrons would take notice of the young pianists’ expert renditions of Elton John classics and Jerry Lee Lewis solos, while Michaels used this opportunity to soak up the stage experience of his fellow band mates, 20 years his senior.

After moving to San Francisco, Michaels further honed his ivory skills performing at dueling piano shows and private parties in Napa Valley before joining the group Luce as their original keyboard player. It was with Luce that Michaels got his first taste of national success with their hit, Good Day (heard in the motion pictures 13 Going On 30, and How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days). But success wasn’t to last. In one week’s time Michaels went from performing for audiences of 8,000 back to the Berkeley-area open mics after the group underwent a lineup change.

Undeterred, Michaels spent several years working on his debut album with Bay Area producer, Adam Rossi. Fronting his new band Even Elroy, the group quickly became a staple on the San Francisco club and college scene, delivering a high-energy set often heavy on Ben Folds Five covers. A number of accolades followed, including runners up for Mix 106.5FM Battle of the Bands, a San Francisco Marathon performance, winners of the UC Berkeley Best Unsigned Band contest, and showcases at Red Gorilla Music Fest at SXSW in Austin, TX. Media performances included KFOG 104.5FM, KUSI-TV Inside San Diego, and a live DVD recording broadcast in Santa Barbara.

It was at this time Michaels caught the eye of Jon Delange, President of the independent radio promotions company, Tinderbox. On the strength of Michaels’ writing, Delange helped secure licensing for 16 major TV shows, resulting in several prominent TV placements.

In 2008, Michaels returned to his hometown of Boston where he formed a second group, enabling him to perform on both coasts and combat the high cost of touring. He also took some time off from music to publish the hit comedic guide to air travel, Please Hug Me – I’ve Been Delayed, featured in airports nationwide.

This year marks the release of a brand new album from Michaels, the first under his own name—although he is the first to acknowledge his many friends and musicians who he considers integral to the Jeff Michaels story. As he states, “Without them, this music would only exist in my mind.”

His ongoing passion for songwriting is apparent in this new collection of material, where he hopes to use his own experiences to make the world a better place, one song at a time.

Previous releases include: No More Rainbows (2008); Nothing’s Really Changed (2006); Even Elroy EP (2005); Red Jacket (2004).

Press Kit

HIGHLIGHTS

BIO