Jay's Story

Jay Isaacson was born and raised in Metro Detroit, Michigan and currently resides in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He’s a part-time singer and pianist who performs vocal standards and soft rock songs, primarily for country club and corporate events plus weddings and funerals, as well as leading music at his church. He’s co-written over 30 songs and writes an occasional new song as time allows.

Jay has had some unique musical performances in his musical career, and his vocal talent has been appreciated by many. After performing live on Detroit’s WJR-AM 760 many years ago, radio personality Jimmy Launce stated "I'm not your agent, but maybe I should be. You're very talented. Beautiful job, Jay, just great."  

Jay's early musical tastes were shaped by what he heard on records and on the radio ... from Bing Crosby to the Carpenters to Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond to Michael W. Smith, along with the hymns at church. In high school, Isaacson received the John Philip Sousa Band Award and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. He was awarded the Evans Scholarship (for golf caddies) and attended Michigan State University, graduating with a General Business degree.


Activities & highlights of Jay’s musical career:

Radio - TV - Film
Studio jingle singer, lead and group, on radio/TV commercials airing in six states, including “Fond du Lac Credit Union” and “Indianhead Mountain Resort,” 1995-2000

• Radio airplay of "Lonely", an adult contemporary love song arranged, produced and sung by Jay and co-written with Jim Simos, that aired nightly for a month on legendary radio personality Alan Almond’s "Candlelight" show on WMJC-FM, Detroit, 1987.

• Live radio performance of Christmas songs on the Jimmy Launce Morning Show, WJR-AM, Detroit, December of 1988.

• Arranged and recorded a multi-instrumental keyboard version of the "William Tell Overture" (The Lone Ranger Theme) for Homesale Realty, airing on Time Warner cable in Milwaukee. 

• Jay’s voice is heard singing within a scene in the 2010 short film “Small Happys” directed by Lee Quarrie, shown at the 2011 Phoenix Film Festival


Bands & Groups
• Keyboardist/vocalist for the wedding/variety band “Rumor,” 1996 - 2010, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  

• Member of "Class Act" duo with vocalist Jean Wenzel for several years, Milwaukee, WI.

• Keyboardist/vocalist for the blues/classic rock band "Aces & Eights," 1991, Milwaukee, WI.

• Keyboardist for Rich Astalos Big Band, 1987, Lansing, Michigan.

Church Music
• Song leader, vocals and keyboards, with the Praise Band at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2004 - present, Brookfield, Wisconsin.

• Directs and accompanies the Family Singers, a singing group at Immanuel Lutheran, 1990 - present, Brookfield, WI.

• Formed and led the “Contemporary Choir” at Immanuel Lutheran, selecting music and coordinating instrumentalists, 1994-2014, Brookfield, WI.

 

Jay is thankful to God for his music, and he feels that “if you’ve got the gift, why not use it?” His passion for "all things musical" has led him into a variety of musical situations, each containing their own unique challenges, yet each handled adequately by his depth of talent.