Press release:
Author/Singer-Songwriter Jerry Sprague has announced the forthcoming release of his memoir, I Love This Song, the story of his coming-of-age journey as a teenage musician. This slice-of-life account touches on the powerful topics of family dynamics, creative passions, and mental illness to deliver a stunning read that reaches the core of what it means to finally find belonging.
I Love This Song chronicles the musical and family struggles of 16-year-old Jerry. Just as he begins to find his footing with regular performances, a series of life-changing events changes everything—a surprise pregnancy, marriage, another child, and then his wife walking out. With two children to care for, Jerry puts aside his aspirations of becoming a musician. Fourteen years later, at 31, he unexpectedly begins a full-time career as a musician. By now, his teenage sons share his love of music, and in a whirlwind Jerry never expected, he’s living his teenage dream, this time with his two sons ready to join him on stage in a cathartic moment of coming full circle.
This honest, endearing memoir delves into the author’s fight with severe mental illness while balancing the demands of being a good parent. Jerry speculates about the underlying causes of his illness and the steps he took toward healing. In a time when mental illness still faces ongoing stigma in society, this glimpse into Jerry’s heart and mind highlights the strength of a proud survivor.
Although I Love This Song will be especially meaningful for Jerry’s fans, adult readers from any background will appreciate the relationship between Jerry’s transformative experiences as a young musician to the accomplished performer he is today. His career as a musician has spanned multiple decades and included over 8,000 solo performances.
In spite of these accomplishments, the moments Jerry cherishes the most is when he’s able to trace the lives of his young fans through his music. A young college student attends one concert, then appears at another after moving away after graduation. They ask Jerry to play their wedding, birthday parties, and high school graduations of their children. Music has allowed Jerry to take part in so many wonderful lives—now, with I Love This Song, he’s inviting you to share in his.
I Love This Song is scheduled for release in the summer of 2024.
Jerry Sprague is a veteran performer known for his regular appearances throughout the Upper Midwest. He maintains a diverse repertoire and has had a consistent following of college students and alumni for over 35 years. Jerry has performed with several bands over the course of his career, including Jerry & The Juveniles, the one he formed with his two sons. His current band, The Spragues Band, consists of the two Sprague brothers and their paternal grandfather. Visit him online at www.jerrysprague.com
