Eric Jerardi: Playing for Keeps in The Game
Biography
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 a milestone in his evolution as a soul‑soaked blues‑rock artist.
His 2019 album Occupied—produced by the legendary David Z (Prince, Etta James, Jonny Lang) and recorded with 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 echoed that sentiment with standing ovations and lasting loyalty. Yet Eric’s art has never been about virtuosity—it’s about connection. The subtle inflection of a vocal line. The space between notes that speaks louder than any solo. He plays not to impress, but to connect—and people feel it.
And now, with his upcoming album The Game, Jerardi returns with something even more personal. It started with a nudge—or rather, an ambush.
A close musical friend, refused to leave him alone. Relentless texts. Daily reminders. No escape. The challenge was deceptively simple: write 12 songs in 12 weeks. Every Wednesday morning, a text arrived with a phrase that had to be used verbatim in that week’s song—phrases Eric would never have chosen on his own. Miss the deadline, and you paid a fine. Miss too many, and you were out. No polish required. Just honesty and accountability.
What began as a game became a mirror.
Produced by Michael James (Robben Ford, Edwin McCain, New Radicals) and featuring the iconic Muscle Shoals backing vocals of Cindy and Marie, The Game is raw, lean, and unfiltered. It cost Eric twenty dollars, a little sleep, and a whole lot of truth. Worth every penny.
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 merch, and have Eric personally select wines from his curated collection. That same spirit lives on in his YouTube series Backroom Blues & Bottles, where stripped-down performances filmed in the store’s back room blend his two passions: music and wine.
Through it all, Eric Jerardi remains guided by the same principle that’s shaped his entire career—connection. Whether through a lyric written under pressure, a note held just long enough, or a bottle poured across the counter, he’s inviting people into something real.
The Game may have started as a dare. But Eric Jerardi played it exactly the way he always has—honestly, fearlessly, and all in.
Mark Pucci | Mark Pucci Media | 770.804.9555 | mpmedia@bellsouth.net
ericjerardi.com
This record exists because my dear friend refused to leave me alone.
For weeks, Todd Clemmer literally bothered me to play something called The Game. Relentless texts. Daily nudges. No escape. Eventually, I caved. The premise sounded simple enough: write 12 songs in 12 weeks. I’ve got notebooks full of lyrics, half-finished ideas, and musical scraps—no problem, right?
That’s where the trap was set.
Every Wednesday morning, before 9:00 a.m., a text arrived with a prompt—a phrase that had to be included verbatim in that week’s song. These weren’t phrases I’d ever choose on my own. Which, of course, was the point. I put in $120 for “administrative costs,” and the rules were brutal and beautifully fair:
Write a brand-new, original song using the prompt. Upload it by midnight the following Tuesday. Miss the deadline by even one minute, and you pay a $20 late-song tax. Two days late? $40. Three? $60. After that, you’re out. Anyone who finished the game split the pot from the late fees and the dropouts. Recording quality didn’t matter—cell phones, home studios, whatever got the song captured.
I only got dinged once. Twenty bucks.
In the end, I got my $120 back from the pool, plus something far more valuable: a life-changing experience, and a record I’m deeply proud of. This album is the sound of constraint turning into freedom, of resistance becoming revelation.