People keep telling me that attitude and gratitude are a choice, and after a few decades, I’m starting to believe them. Jaclyn Bradley Palmer’s “I Choose Joy” hit my inbox the other day and I’ve got to admit that I’ve been a bit more joyful ever since. OK, so I have a soft spot for happy songs — don’t you think we could use more of them? Below we talk with Jaclyn Bradley Palmer about music and joy.
When Jaclyn Bradley Palmer was in college studying opera at Indiana University, she read a biography on Mozart. Inspired by a life full of travel, adventure and creativity, Palmer thought: “I want that.” A product of Italian Immigrants, Jaclyn was born in Ohio with the desire to explore. After obtaining a degree in vocal performance, she lived in both New York City and Los Angeles where she began to record music and compose for television and film. Jaclyn has appeared on both sides of the camera as actress, host, director and composer. She and her music have been featured on Bravo, TLC, VH1, MTV, HGTV, Time Warner, and Bravo. She is also a published music therapist who conducted the largest surgical music therapy study in history. With a master’s degree from Colorado State University, she continues to research the effect of music on patients. Her documentary film, “Made of Gold” has been showcased in film festivals worldwide. She has recorded three albums, her most recent effort being produced in the Netherlands. Cleveland magazine named her one of the city’s most interesting people of 2016. Singer-songwriter, recording artist, filmmaker, music therapist, and author…
Jaclyn Bradley Palmer is still writing her life’s requiem.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre?
I was introduced to folk music as a little girl. My dad had a massive album collection and I would often borrow his music. He handed me Joni Mitchell’s “Court and Spark” one day and it inspired me greatly. To hear a woman singing so beautifully about raw emotions… well, it opened something up for me and had the 8-year-old version of myself thinking, “Wow, I want to create something like that.”
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
My love for music only grew with age. I sang my first live performance at age 3 and performed in musicals throughout school. I even went on to study voice in college and received a degree in opera from Indiana University. After so much education and countless lessons, however, I was inspirited to reinvent and explore. I moved to New York City and joined a rock band called SexonE where I co-wrote and recorded my first album. It certainly wasn’t the classical music I had studied for so long, but it was something exciting and something my very own…I realized that I didn’t have to just sing someone else’s song (i.e. Mozart, circa 1791), but I could also share my own requiem. I was changed for the better and I never looked back. I hoped that through offering my music to others, maybe I could help some little girl out there to find herself, just like Joni did for me.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
Certainly, my musical tastes have evolved over time. After my rock and roll era, I found myself in Los Angeles, surrounded by singer-songwriters in a musical community called “Acoustic Playhouse,” which introduced me to a beautiful culture of songwriters and performers. I sang back-up for national act, Ty Stone; celebrity, Gretchen Bonaduce; and Walking Dead director Mike Satrazemis. I also emerged as a solo artist and bean licensing my music to TV and film. As a singer-songwriter, I have been greatly influenced by my surroundings: the city I am living in and the artists who are sharing the experience with me. I have been blessed to always have a community of artists who inspire me to shine brightly and voice my truth through song.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
Well, last year, I moved to Europe. Residing in the Netherlands, it took months for my guitar to clear customs and I was truly a stranger in a new land. When my guitar finally arrived, I didn’t put it down for days, writing songs about the change and adventure I was experiencing and about the news I was hearing from back home. I expressed to my husband that I felt drawn to recording a new album… mind you, I didn’t know anyone… I had just moved across the ocean but started a music-making journey of meeting local Dutch musicians, songwriters, and producers who helped my vision to manifest. Again, because of music, I had a community, and a few months later my new album THE DUTCH SESSIONS came to be– a completely fan-funded project that was a total collective effort. To make music with new people in a new land was such a beautiful experience. This record is a scrapbook of rebirth and I am so proud to have made music internationally.
What was the last song you listened to?
I just heard, “Young in all the Wrong Ways” by Sara Watkins. It’s beautiful and it’s one of those times that you think, “Man, I wish I wrote that song.” It’s so good.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
In today’s world, it is so cool to be able to have the world of music available in your pocket… but I do love something tangible. There is nothing like looking at album art, reading the linear notes and touching the music in your hands. I’m really into that and vinyl takes me back to when I was introduced to music for the very first time.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
If I download or stream music, it’s almost always through Apple. It’s where I started with the digital age and I guess you can just say I’m loyal.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
Today music fans have so many options, any time they want it. I remember waiting for hours for my new favorite unreleased song to play on the radio (finger glued to the record button) or searching Bleeker Street Records for a rare B-side. Today the world of music is a click away and people get bored easily. The masses don’t often get to watch a band evolve, or even hear a complete record… people listen to a song, then it’s off to the next thing. There is something lost and something gained with every advancement, I guess. Bob Dylan said it best (and I’m paraphrasing) that the world doesn’t need more songs… we have enough of those! What we do need is more emotion… more feeling… and if a songwriter can express that, then he is offering his fans gold. That’s my goal- to offer something real.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
I have two albums under my maiden name, Jaclyn Bradley. My music is everywhere digitally as well. You can be directed to everything through my website www.jaclynbradleypalmer.com
You can also follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaclynbradleymusic
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
When I am not writing my own music, I help others to write theirs. My day job is a music therapist. I study the effect of music on patients having surgery and work with hospitalized patients to find their voice through music during an often difficult time. Someone once told me that the only way to true happiness is by being in service to others. Music has certainly graced my life, but my greatest joy has been bringing music to others.
