J-Vance:

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The Long Form Bio

J-Vance is an alias, and independent music project of Jerry V Howard of Chattanooga, TN.

**BEGINNING TO MAKE MUSIC**:
Jerry began writing songs at the age of 16, but progress was slow with no previous training in music. By the time he was 19 he had taught himself enough to start recording demos of his original songs in his bedroom. He left his home in Chattanooga, TN at the age of 20 in 1984 to study the Music Business at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN (a suburb of Nashville). In his second semester early 1985 at MTSU Dave Powers (later of the locally famous band Eleven 59) chose one of his songs to use for a project in his multi-track analog recording engineering class. This gave Jerry his first opportunity to record in a professional studio. His old friend Todd Miller joined in to play guitar on the session.

THE BANDS:

In 1986 Jerry joined up with local musicians Tim X Davis, and Michael Fletcher to form the short lived band Desolation Angels. That band dissolved in late 1986 after the loss of their bass player, and unsuccessful attempts to find a replacement. Photos of Desolation Angels were taken at one of the shows. The photos were the only ones in a 2 page spread about the local music scene in the MTSU 1987 yearbook. The article did not mention the band. In 1987 Jerry learned that a couple of young co-workers still in high school had a band, and were looking for a lead vocalist. This led to him joining up with Wade McCallie, Jason Brooks, John McGee, and Justin Milling for the band Inner Circle (not the famous Reggae band). Inner Circle recorded a few 4-track demos, and performed several live shows locally, but it was also a short lived band. Jason, John, and Wade continued doing music together under various band names, and with varying lineups. John later broke off to form his own bands taking a different direction musically.

THE BANDS

The 3rd, and last full fledged band was Naked Lunch. After Inner Circle in 1987 Jerry was looking to record demos of songs to submit for recording projects at MTSU hoping to get one picked again. He had musician neighbors downstairs in his apartment building who had been jamming together. He met them, and asked for their help to make these demos. Jerry joined Danny Derryberry, Fred Green, and Bill McLaurine in their apartment to record on a rented 4-track machine. The results were good. Jerry wound up getting into a multi-track studio class for the Spring 1988 semester. He asked Bill, Danny & Fred to join him in the studio to record more songs. This evolved into them becoming a band. 5 songs were recorded with them that semester with the last 2 being collaborative writing efforts.

Danny left the band, and Michael Fletcher joined in his place. Tim X Davis also joined making the band a 5 piece. Naked Lunch performed several shows locally in 1988 doing mostly original songs by Jerry, Bill, and Fred. By late 1988 Naked Lunch had dissolved. Bill & Fred moved to Nashville, and continued making music together forming the moderately successful local bands Word Uprising, and Strepanova. Tim & Michael continued doing music together eventually forming the long lived band Intent City that still from time to time puts on a show. Jerry moved to Nashville in August of 1988, and started writing & recording demos of new songs while trying to decide on the next move musically.

THE PROJECTS:

In 1990 Jerry had another studio class at MTSU, and used the time to record 2 new songs. That project came to be known as Talk About Nothing. The sessions included Bruce “Little Oscar” MacDougal, Bill McLaurine, and Fred Green. The 2 songs were played by the big local college radio station back then; Vanderbilt’s WRVU 91-Rock. By 1991 Jerry started working with MIDI to create music, and continued writing while trying to solidify a vision for what to do next with music. In 1993 3 new songs were recorded in a newer MTSU studio. These were the first recordings pulling together MIDI sequenced sounds from a multi-timbral sound module with live musicians. Musicians joining in on these sessions included Carrie Scoggins, Wes White, and Patrick Kennedy. In 1994 work began at Forrest York’s studio in Murfreesboro. Only 2 songs were completed from those sessions with one of them being played on the the big Rock station in Nashville, KDF, on their local music show. Musicians joining in on those sessions were Mike Matney of White Boy And The Average Rat Band, and Jerry’s brother, Michael D. Howard. That project eventually came to be named 7, then 7.7. Jerry & Michael continued recording demos in their apartment, and played several live shows in Murfreesboro as 7.7 in the mid-1990s. The live shows stopped. In 1997 Mike Matney joined Jerry to record a demo for what was intended to be a continuation of 7.7.

ADHD WINS:

With untreated ADHD, and various struggles Jerry chipped away slowly at earning his degree while navigating life as a young adult, and making music. The ADHD was apparently getting worse with age, and still not being treated. He finished a demo of a song in 1998, and then found himself unable to finish another song. Instead he turned his focus on to finishing school, and trying to ‘grow up’. It did seem time to face the reality that he wasn’t going to be a rich & famous recording artist. Time to finish school, and try to have a solid ‘grown up’ career. He finally graduated in 2000 with his B.S. in Recording Industry, and started managing ‘record’ stores in 2001 selling primarily CDs & DVDs. He still felt like he should be making music, and made some efforts at it, but just couldn’t finish anything. He used what capacity he had to try to be the best he could be at running the stores. He hoped to find a way to transition into a career in the music business in music marketing, or A&R. The downfall of music media retail came too quick. His last store got him back in Chattanooga, and it closed in 2008 leaving him feeling completely lost. All the lifelong dreams crushed. The ADHD still in the way of making progress.