Jesse Boyington's Biography

Jesse Boyington is a guitarist, singer and song-writer from Southern New Jersey whose influences among many are the Beatles, the Eagles, and the Allman Brothers. Jesse has been performing in the tri-state area for the past 30 years and has quite an extensive resume ranging from southern rock bands to wedding bands to trios, duos and solo work. He’s even done his share of private and corporate affairs and casino work in Atlantic City.

“I taught myself to play the guitar at the age of twelve by using a picture guitar chord book (Play Guitar Like Chet Atkins) and by listening to Beatle’s records and figuring out the chords. I never had any formal training, and there was literally no one that I knew of when I was growing up that was older and more advanced than I was to learn from, so you could say that I’m really self taught. I should give some credit to my uncle Fred who played country western guitar who I’d pester the heck out of to play for me when I was in my early teens. My father also knew how to sing harmony which made me take notice.

I’ll never forget the first time that I actually heard my voice on tape. I thought, probably as most wanna-be singers do, oh my God I’ve got a long way to go. I still don’t think of myself as a vocalist. I just taught myself to sing adequately for what I needed and wanted to do. I’ve received my share of criticism over the years from some people and some musicians, because I strive to play most everything, especially the Beatles like the records. To me having the discipline to copy a record is more difficult than covering someone else’s song any old way you feel. That’s not to say that doing your own in depth arrangement of a cover tune is not cool, but most cover bands don’t do that. If you’re too lazy to either rearrange it or stick to the script, then every song is going to sound the same, and more importantly, sound unprofessional. I know that when I pay big bucks to see a recording artist in concert, I’m most impressed when they sound like the recording that I know. It’s okay to jam a little and veer off the path, but there’s no need to repaint the Mona Lisa. The Eagles are a perfect example of that!”

It was at the Jersey shore in the mid 80’s, perhaps a bit premature, when Jesse first started doing his tribute to John Lennon, and he’s been doing it in one form or another ever since. Although Jesse would enjoy and could play an entire night of nothing else but Beatle’s music, he understands that you have to mix it up, so the Beatles are spread methodically throughout the night. He also strives to do Beatle’s songs that most bands don’t do like Girl and It’s Only Love off Rubber Soul.

“Everywhere I play; someone comes up to me and tells me that I sound like Lennon and/or the Beatles. I take that as a great compliment. When I was first teaching myself to sing I’d try to imitate him, but honestly, now it just comes out that way. I don’t imitate Lennon’s voice on my original music. As a matter of fact, I consciously try not to, but every now and then a word or two pops out. Sometimes you can’t control your influences.”

Jesse’s live act consists mostly of cover tunes from the 60’s and 70’s featuring the Beatles of course, and as a lot of solo performers do now, Jesse uses computer sequencing accompaniment. Most solo performers don’t spend the time that is needed tweaking their sequences until they sound authentic, but Jesse does. The sequences are very real sounding and project the feel of a live band.

“Editing and writing midi files is quite addictive and time consuming, and I spend a lot of time working on them when I’m not writing or recording my own music. A few years ago no one could have told me that I’d be playing with a computer on stage as I’d played in four and five piece rock bands my whole life, but technology is a wonderful thing. Some people and some musicians may think that it’s like karaoke, or that somehow I’m faking it because it sounds too good, but I don’t look at it that way. I’m still playing my parts exactly the same whether I’m playing them with a computer or with a ten-piece band behind me. It’s just economical accompaniment! The sad part about sequencing is that it affords some people the opportunity to perform live who aren’t real players. There are those who let the computer play the main, more difficult tracks while they play four chords and howl through the vocals. Ultimately, it really was a business decision to use computer accompaniment, because most clubs don’t have the space and/or the budget to hire full bands with live drums anymore. That’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it is.”

Jesse’s original music could be categorized as soft rock or easy listening as he is primarily a ballad writer, although he does throw in a rock and roll tune here and there, and there are parts in some of his ballads that show his rock guitar influences.

“I don’t try to formula write, and I don’t think of any particular thing or audience when I write and record. Whatever I feel just comes out, and that’s the way it should be. I don’t change the basic format of my songs much after they’re originally written. The most changing that is done is on a guitar solo or a particular sound or in the production, but the song and the melody stay pretty much the same from its inception; otherwise you’ll be changing them forever. Lennon once said something very profound to McCartney when Paul suggested that they get a tape recorder to record a writing session in progress. He said, why record them? If we can’t remember how they go then how can we expect anyone else to remember them? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not comparing myself to Lennon and McCartney, but I believe that if the song means something to you and it sticks in your head then it just may stick in someone else’s head. That’s what it’s all about!”