On his promising self-titled debut, Gaines embraces the themes of workaday life; his songs take on topics like parental responsibility ("Didn't Wanna Be Daddy"), self-loathing ("A Dark Love Song") and crippling insecurity ("Scares Me More"). His voice is husky and emotive, and stands in sharp contrast against the spare, folkish music. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Garth Hudson (Keyboards), Steve Gaboury (Bells), Lonnie Hillyer (Bass), J. Lesser (Producer), Jeffrey Gaines (Piano), Jeffrey Gaines (Guitar (Acoustic)), Carin Lynn (Violin (Electric)), Marc Cozza (Art Direction), Richard Gottehrer (Piano), Joel Diamond (Organ), Jeffrey Lesser (Vocals (Background)), Steve Gaboury (EWI), Jeffrey Gaines (Guitar (12 String)), Rick DiFonzo (Guitar (Electric)), Paul Gordon (Keyboards), Joe Alexander (String Arrangements), William Reg Troup III (Drums), Jeffrey Gaines (String Arrangements), Tony James (Drums), John Avarese (Kurzweil Strings), Jane Scarpantoni (Cello), Jeffrey Gaines (Vocals), Marc Cozza (Design), Frank Christian (Guitar (Electric)), Jeffrey Lesser (Producer), Greg Calbi (Mastering), Joel Diamond (Piano), Suzanne Dyer (Assistant Engineer), Jeffrey Gaines (?), Jeffrey Lesser (Engineer), Chris Laidlaw (Mixing Assistant), Jeffrey Gaines (Harmonica), Steve Gaboury (Strings), Jeffrey Gaines (Guitar (Electric)), Robert C. Welsh (Guitar (Bass)), Brad Hitz (Photography), Garth Hudson (Saxophone), Richard Gottehrer (Producer), John Avarese (Strings), Jeffrey Gaines (Guitar (Bass)), Jeffrey Gaines (Guitar), Shea Quinn (Bass), Garth Hudson (Accordion), John Avarese (String Arrangements), Joe Alexander (Engineer)
Representative Albums: "Jeffrey Gaines", "Somewhat Slightly Dazed", "Always Be
Representative Songs: "Hero in Me", "Didn't Wanna Be Daddy", "A Dark Love Song
Biography
Singer/songwriter and guitarist Jeffrey Gaines brought a unique, original voice to the sea of singer/songwriters that emerged in the 1990s. Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Gaines studied drawing and painting as a child, but became interested in singing while in his teens, joining local cover bands and taking his cue from the recordings of musicians like John Lennon, David Bowie, Paul Weller, Ray Davies and Elvis Costello. After high school, Gaines was offered the singer slot for a New York rock & roll band, but turned it down to move to Philadelphia, where he signed with Chrysalis Records in 1990. His self-titled 1992 debut, featuring The Band's Garth Hudson on saxophone, organ and accordion, drew critical praise from far and wide, and put him on the musical map as a sensitive folk-rock artist. Somewhat Slightly Dazed followed in 1994, and in 1998 Gaines returned with Galore. Always Be marked Gaines first release for the new millennium. ~ Richard Skelly, All Music Guide
The first single off the critically acclaimed[1]Jeffrey Gaines was "Hero In Me". Gaines performed that song live on Good Morning America and the song received some radio and MTV airplay, but it would be the b-side to his second single that would eventually give him his biggest hit. "Scares Me More" featured an acoustic live version of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes", which Gabriel had taken to #26 on the Hot 100 in 1986. Re-released by Gabriel in 1989 after a resurgence in popularity due to the song's inclusion in a key scene in the film Say Anything..., Gabriel's single recharted but failed to hit the Top 40. Gaines' acoustic version received some radio attention but neither side of the single managed to chart nationally in 1992.
A fan favorite, Gaines re-recorded both live and studio versions of "In Your Eyes" in 2001 for his fourth album, the independent release Always Be, and the song was released to radio. This time Gaines hit #22 on the U.S. Adult Top 40 chart[2] and the slow-burning hit remained on the 40-place chart for 22 weeks.[3] Gabriel's own version of the ballad also continued to smolder, being certified as Gabriel's first U.S. Gold single to date in 2005, 19 years after its release.[4]
Gaines was one of the artists invited to contribute vocals to the benefit CD "We are Family", produced by Nile Rodgers after the September 11, 2001 attacks with profits going to the families affected by the tragedy and "dedicated to the vision of a global family" and respect and understanding of cultural diversity.[5] The single peaked at #9 on Billboard's Hot Singles Sales chart in late 2001 and #32 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart in early 2002.[6][7]
