Jerry Lee Colbert

When I was 3 1/2 years old my dad bought me a small piano to teach me the fundamentals of music. Since my dad's left hand was crippled in 1971 it was difficult to teach me how to play piano. So when I was about 4 years old my dad took me to a piano teacher by the name of Shirley Harrison. I had her as a piano teacher for a short time. I had a couple of other piano teachers. I played mostly classical piano and ragtime. Some of the composers I use to play are Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Scott Joplin, and Stephen Foster. I played in about 4 recitals at Colleges. One of the colleges was Valencia Junior College in Orlando, FL. I had music teachers for a couple more years. Since my dad was a musician before he crippled his hand, he taught me a lot that the music teachers didn't teach me. Later on I played on a Kimball and a Baldwin piano. My dad wrote down sheet music to some popular country songs of the time and arranged it so the piano sounded like I was playing a guitar. He would call it written in guitar mode.

When I was about 11 or 12 years old I started playing guitar. My dad taught me how to play. At about the same time I started singing. I had in previous years sang as I played the piano but didn't truly concentrate on it 'till I was about 11 or 12 years old. I didn't play much piano through my teens until my senior year in high school. I needed an extra credit. One in performing arts. So I decided to take beginner piano. After being away from the piano for 6 years and switching from classical to 50's Rock & Roll., I gave it a try and I still could play the piano. Needless to say I got an A for the year. Through all those years that I sung no one knew I could sing until I joined the Marine Corp. I basically was shy when I was young and really Orlando, FL was not a country music loving place so I was afraid to sing my music in front of people and of course the Marine Corp. changed me a little. My early influences on my singing style were Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Ricky Nelson, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Everly Brothers, and the great Merle Haggard.

When I was in the Marine Corp. I bought a guitar and a amplifier and started singing when I thought no one was around. Well a couple of people heard me sing and one night they got me on stage at a local club. I played Heartbreak Hotel and everybody liked it. So I stayed with the music and when I went over to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War I played in two talent contest on the ship I was on and won 1st and 2nd place. When my four years were up in the Marine Corp. I decided to pursue a music career.

So I moved to Nashville, submitted a demo tape to "To Be A Star". They turned me down saying that the song I sang (Travelin' Man) sounded like Ricky Nelson. So I submitted to a local recording company and they signed me to a deal. It turned out to be a bad deal and after my two year contract with them was up I moved to another state to get away from the music business but I found out that my love for music was to strong and I began sending out demo tapes again. Nothing happens far away from the music business, so knowing that I have moved to Clarksville, TN which is not to far away from Nashville, TN. Nothing happened while I was in Clarksville, TN so I moved into the Nashville area and now I am pursuing any opportunity that arises here in Nashville. Hopefully I will eventually get my break, and if I don't I will at least know I gave it my all...