ERIC JERARDI: PLAYING FOR KEEPS IN THE GAME

Eric Jerardi has built his life at the crossroads of soul and storytelling. A Dayton, Ohio native, his music blends weathered truth and raw finesse—equal parts grit, groove, and grace. Since 1997, he has released ten nationally distributed recordings, each one marking another step in his evolution as a soul-soaked blues-rock artist, guitarist, songwriter, and performer.

His 2019 album Occupied—produced by legendary producer David Z (Prince, Etta James, Jonny Lang) and recorded with members of the famed Muscle Shoals rhythm section—was hailed for its depth, groove, and emotional resonance. Critics called it a “low-key, deeply felt masterpiece,” and audiences across the country responded with the kind of loyalty Jerardi has spent a career earning one room, one song, and one listener at a time.

Yet Eric’s art has never been simply about virtuosity. It has always been about connection: the subtle inflection of a vocal line, the weight of a lyric, the space between notes that can sometimes say more than the solo itself. He plays not to impress, but to communicate—and people feel it.

Now, with his tenth nationally distributed recording, The Game, Jerardi has entered one of the most exciting stretches of his career.

The record began with what amounted to a musical ambush.

A close musical friend challenged Jerardi to write 12 songs in 12 weeks. Every Wednesday morning, Eric received a phrase that had to appear verbatim in that week’s song—often language he never would have chosen himself. There was a deadline, accountability, and even a fine for missing the mark. No endless rewriting. No waiting for inspiration. Just honesty, instinct, and the pressure to finish.

What began as a game became a mirror.

Produced by Michael James (Robben Ford, Edwin McCain, New Radicals) and featuring the unmistakable Muscle Shoals vocal lineage of Cindy Walker and Marie Lewey, The Game captures Jerardi at his most direct—raw, lean, melodic, and unguarded. The songs deal in love, loss, regret, connection, mortality, and the unexpected moments that shape a life.

And before the album was even released, the music began breaking through.

The first single, “Setting Sun,” was selected by Apple Music for its influential New in Rock playlist on release day. The support continued when “Thorns & Roses” became Jerardi’s second consecutive single from The Game to earn a place on New in Rock, giving the project back-to-back editorial recognition from one of the world’s largest music platforms.

“Setting Sun” also received a worldwide music-video premiere through Vintage Guitar, introducing the song to one of the most respected guitar audiences in the world.

Then came another major distinction.

Immersive Audio Album named “Setting Sun” one of the 10 Best Dolby Atmos Songs of Summer 2026, placing Jerardi on an exclusive list alongside artists including Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, and the Grateful Dead. Mixed in Dolby Atmos by Michael James, the recording demonstrated that Jerardi’s music could retain its emotional intimacy while expanding into an entirely new immersive format.

That momentum carried directly into “Thorns & Roses.”

The song quickly emerged as one of the defining tracks of The Game, with its cinematic music video generating more than 200,000 views while radio programmers across the country began embracing the track. As Jerardi’s first major national AAA campaign accelerated, “Thorns & Roses” became one of the Top 10 most-added songs at AAA radio, with early adds including stations in Spokane, Birmingham, Napa Valley, Akron, and Mobile.

The breakthrough represents something larger than a chart statistic. After decades of making music on his own terms, Jerardi is finding a new national audience without abandoning the sound or storytelling that made him who he is.

Critics are hearing it, too.

Houston Press writer Bob Ruggiero offered perhaps the simplest invitation into Jerardi’s world:

“Put on the videos. Turn up the songs. Then spend a little time with the stories behind them.”
— Bob Ruggiero, Houston Press

And The Toledo Blade drew a striking comparison:

“Jerardi’s style, talent, and vocals remind me of John Hiatt.”
— The Toledo Blade

Together, the comments capture both sides of what makes Jerardi distinctive: music that hits immediately, and songwriting that rewards a deeper listen.

The Game increasingly reveals Jerardi not simply as a guitar player who writes songs, but as a songwriter whose guitar happens to be one of the most powerful tools in the room.

In September 2026, another landmark arrived when Jerardi took the stage at The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage in Washington, D.C. The nationally recognized performance showcased his soul-soaked combination of blues, rock, commanding vocals, expressive guitar playing, and deeply personal songwriting on one of America’s most prestigious cultural stages.

The Kennedy Center appearance came during a remarkable run for Jerardi: national radio growth, Apple Music editorial support, major music press, immersive-audio recognition, hundreds of thousands of video views, and an increasingly visible audience forming around The Game.

Beyond the music, Jerardi’s world continues to expand.

At Jerardi’s Little Store in Dayton, fans travel from across the country—and around the world—to meet him, collect signed music and merchandise, and have Eric personally select wines from his carefully curated collection. That same spirit carries into his series Backroom Blues & Bottles, where intimate performances filmed inside the store bring together two of his passions: music and wine.

Yet whether he is standing behind a microphone at The Kennedy Center, hearing his song on an AAA station, watching another listener discover Thorns & Roses, or pouring a bottle of wine for someone who traveled hundreds of miles to meet him, Eric Jerardi remains guided by the same principle that has shaped his entire career: connection.

The Game may have begun as a dare.

But what has followed looks increasingly like a breakthrough.

And Eric Jerardi is playing for keeps.

CLICK to SEE how The Game prompts unfolded.