Garland Jeffreys

Garland Jeffreys (born 1943) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He emerged as part of a distinct, mid-1970s New York rock sound that included artists like Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and Willie Nile. Hallmarks of Jeffreys's music are autobiographical songwriting and an eclectic, hard-to-categorize style that embraces rock-and-roll, reggae, soul, doo-wop, blues, jazz and folk. His songs revolve around signature themes: race and inclusivity, New York City and urban life, romance and family. Critics contend that Jeffreys's category-defying music and multiracial identity often perplexed American record labels, radio stations and audiences, hampering the marketing and reach of his work. Rock writer Kurt Loder described Jeffreys as "a unique voice in American music—a racial and cultural outsider with a first-hand, hard-knocks knowledge of all the various Big City scenes and scams, and a striking ability to render even the grittiest incidents concisely into songs."