Jay Jernigan:
CLASS OF 1971
St. Dominic SchoolClass of 1971
Mobile, AL
University of Southern Mississippi - ArtsClass of 1979
Hattiesburg, MS
Theodore High SchoolClass of 1975
Theodore, AL
Jay's Story
Life
Retired from the Air Force in Washington D.C. in 2004. Did one year as office manager for a City & Regional magazine following three years as Operations and Design Manager for an Asian yacht manufacturer with primary offices in Maryland.
Married to Beth for 25 years with no kids (YEA!!!)We have finally decided to get out of the cold and have purchased a nice home with pool and lake in Inverness Fl. (outside of Ocala--15 miles from the Gulf). We moved at Thanksgiving 2008, but are keeping our home on Kent Island as a back-up and/or summer home. Working as a contract independent musician for hire with several bands and artists in the central Florida area.
Reprinted from INTERNATIONAL MUSICIAN//APRIL 2004
MUSICIAN UPDATE ÃÂ
. In our ongoing saga of unsung guitar heroes, not to be overlooked is one of the most versatile players to have lasted for four decades in an often unforgiving business. Hailing from Mobile Alabama, Jay Jernigan began his journey in 1969 at the age of 12 when he lobbied his parents relentlessly for a $24 Sears box guitar. Like most guitarists he learned by ear and was soon entrenched in all facets of the then-blossoming folk music movement in Southern churches. An avid rocker long before then, it took no time to make the next very ÃÂobviousÃÂ leap to an electric guitar. In what was supposed to be an impossible bet, his father remarked after watching Mason Williams perform ÃÂClassical GasÃÂ on the Ed Sullivan Show: ÃÂWhen you can play that song, weÃÂll buy you an electric guitar.ÃÂ With a fervent desire to join the Woodstock generation, following two months of ÃÂwood-sheddingÃÂ and a successful recital of that song, Jernigan found himself with electric ax firmly in hand. Louder-higher-faster: he never looked back.
By age 16 he was performing professionally in bar bands, while involving himself in high school music programs. He was a top-notch symphony and drumline percussionist, skills that would later on pay off in spades. Known on the Gulf Coast as the premier ÃÂguitar gunslingerÃÂ he was sought after by the many then-burgeoning ÃÂsouthern rockÃÂ bands. At 18 ...Expand for more
he received a full scholarship to the College of Fine Arts at Southern Miss. where he immersed himself in drum-line, music education and jazz lab guitar programs. Awarded an Associates degree in music, he headed back out onto the road as a touring utility musician, working in special event show groups on the Florida panhandle. Audiences were thrilled with his deadly accurate renditions of Hendrix, Van Halen and Skynyrd: a fan base followed.
Over the next 20 years he diversified into all aspects of guitar and music production. In the 80ÃÂs he was a pioneer in new standards of guitar amplification rack systems and tone modules. He was one of the prototype guitarists for MESA EngineeringÃÂs Simul-class model. He has been an active endorser for EMG pick-ups, MESA Boogie Amplification systems and numerous smaller design companies. His guitars have included Gibson, Yamaha, B.C. Rich, ESP, Valley Arts, Brian Moore and Paul Reed Smith; all custom-modified to his design standards. He also branched out to become an accomplished and awarded audio technician and designer in both the recording studio and live sound-reinforcement career fields. He has produced and engineered four outstanding recordings, done numerous studio installations and remains an advocate of critical listening technology.
JerniganÃÂs client roster is a veritable ÃÂwhoÃÂs-whoàof adult contemporary artists. A protégée of such luminaries as Steve Lukather (Toto) and Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs), his versatility in performing genres proves to be an attractive strong point when working as utility sideman. He has shared the stage with Rita Coolidge, Billy Ocean, Chaka Khan, Lee Greenwood, Roy Clark, Loretta Lynn, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., and Little Anthony & the Imperials. Stylistically he is equally at home performing country, rock, jazz and fusion. For over two decades he has worked as a performer, consultant and director of entertainment programs for the U. S. Air Force, performing throughout the United States and in 21 countries worldwide. Currently in semi-retirement he resides on the East Coast and remains available for contract
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