BIO

Jeff was born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania, the son of Carol & John Breedy. He has three younger siblings, Christine, Louise, & Patrick. As early as the third grade, Jeff had already developed a deep love and respect for the natural world, as well as a keen eye for detail, and a considerable talent for drawing and painting.

 

In his teens, Jeff had a paper route, washed dishes, picked fruit, volunteered at a nature center, worked at an art gallery and as a maintenance worker at a county park. 

 

Quiet and shy, Jeff tended to skip out on most of his classmate's high school traditions, and instead preferred going on long, contemplative hikes. He would spend the majority of his time and efforts concentrating on his artistic abilities and wildlife photography. As well, he often exhibited and sold his work in local shows. 

 

And then, as Jeff was finishing his junior year in high school, his life took an unexpected turn...

 

“In April of 1975, my father took me to see pop star John Denver in a special midnight concert at the 17,000 seat Spectrum Sports Arena in Philadelphia. 

 

I was never the same again.

 

"That night, John Denver and his beautiful music changed my life and gave to me a priceless gift: The inspiration to find my own voice and the confidence to use it. 

 

"All that summer, I spent my meager wages purchasing John Denver's LPs, 45s and songbooks. Before too long, his lyrics and music were my constant companions.

 

"Later in the autumn of that year, an insightful and kind neighbor offered me the use of her Sears Decca guitar. There were long practices after school, and with the exception of one formal lesson, I was entirely self-taught. Each new song was a thrill to learn, and before the following spring, I knew just about every tune in the John Denver song books that I owned. 

 

"As time went by, there were many other musical inspirations: Gordon Lightfoot, Michael Murphy, Dan Fogelberg, Don McLean, Harry Chapin, James Taylor, Kenny Loggins & Van Morrison. All of these early influences eventually began to marinate into my own original sound, which took on a hue all it's own, reminiscent of my musical beginnings.

 

"In several short years I rapidly built up the skills that I needed to express myself, not only musically, but socially as well. Working through my shyness and inexperience was not an easy thing to do however, especially when it came to facing crowds of people. So, for a couple of unforgettable summers, I would drive out to the rural farmland beyond my hometown to sing and practice my guitar. Out there, along a lonely road, and often late into the night, I really let my voice soar. Under a bright moon, the enormous fields of corn looked like many thousands of people standing and applauding. Talking about it with friends, they would often chide me by saying that 'At least I always had a standing ovation'. I sang many happy songs back then for my cornstalk audience. 

 

Three years later in 1979, Jeff informally changed his last name from Breedy to Pine, (An homage to Ansel Adam's famous photograph of the Jeffrey Pine tree atop Sentinel Dome in Yosemite) and began his professional career performing for receptive audiences at the open mics, bars and restaurants in his hometown. He quickly made a name for himself not only in Pennsylvania, but in New Jersey and New York as well; literally playing hundreds of gigs each year from '79 to 1983. 

 

Many of Jeff's earliest performances were at Reading PA's popular Blue Marsh Inn, where he regularly sold out the 300 seat venue. It was there that Jeff met, performed and was influenced by a number of national touring folk and bluegrass acts of that era: Bryan Bowers, Norman Blake, Dan Crary, Sam Bush, Doc & Merle Watson and Jonathan Edwards. Jeff would later open shows for bigger acts, such as Hot Tuna, Willie Nelson and Jimmy Messina.

 

In the spring of 1984, Jeff bid farewell to his hometown, and relocated to Santa Barbara California, where he quickly became a well-known fixture on the west coast music scene. 

 

As the years have unfolded, Jeff's music and playing style has continually evolved and expanded to include a wide array of musical genres. Through constant touring and some outstanding recordings, Jeff has acquired a solid reputation as one of California’s premier solo artists. 

 

Gifted with a unique and beautiful voice, and accompanying himself fluidly on both six & twelve string, electric & nylon string guitars, Jeff is known for possessing a legendary repertoire of over 2700 songs, all from memory. 

 

Jeff’s original music is both evocative and instantly memorable. His live sets are loaded with anecdotal material, plenty of humor, and anthemic sing-alongs. His presentation and subject matter very considerably at times can be simple and direct, or metaphorical and visionary in context. At times his music is nature based, perhaps touching on current events or on deeply personal issues, and ranges from the comical to the symphonic. 

 

Whether creating vivid imagery through lyric and melody or uniquely interpreting the human spirit in stories and in song, if only to entertain or to inspire, Jeffrey Pine is the apotheosis of a modern day troubadour. 

 

Jeff currently resides in Santa Ynez California.

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