Meet Jeff Burkett | National Touring Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Burkett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff, how does your business help the community?
As a musical artist, a great degree of satisfaction comes from seeing the joy on the faces of the people I am sharing my music with. In these trying times, I like to believe that music is one the most inspiring and effective ways of bringing all the people together, from all places, and all walks of life – regardless of our differences. I believe this impact is one that affects and helps communities around the world put aside our differences and come together.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am very passionate about my music. As a pianist and singer who is also a drummer, I feel one of the things that sets me apart is the passion I have, combined with the ability to play rhythmically, harmonically, and melodically. The best of all worlds collide and have inspired the integration of these things to form my own signature style. As a vocalist, I incorporate . all of these things together. The passion adds the texture – almost like brush strokes on a painter’s canvas.

I got to where I am musically as a result of decades of hard work, “paying my dues” in the bars and night clubs, and finally arriving at the place of performing in much larger venues for bigger crowds, and playing nationally instead of just locally. There is no substitute for hard work. The experience adds the polish to the performance. There really are no shortcuts. Many years of being discouraged are to be expected. I have experienced the same level of rejection as many artists experience in all art forms. My love for the music, support from fellow musicians and friends, and a hardcore stubborn streak have got me through a lot. Finding my niche’ in performing the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin was a huge leap forward for me, and got me some of the recognition I needed to be able to move forward on a larger scale, and in a more meaningful way.

The lessons I’ve learned are, stay the course – don’t let yourself get sidetracked. I lost years, chunks of precious time by making choices that were not conducive to my career track, and sort of had to move into a “hurry-up” offense to pick up the slack at various times.

In the great words of Van Morrison, “Music is spiritual. The music business is not.” One of the things that sells me as a brand is the passion I express in my performances, the love for what I do, and the faith I have in what God has given to me. What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that if God is willing, I will be coming to them. Just as Bernie Taupin wrote – “from the end of the world to your town.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As many venues as I perform in, this question puts me on the spot a bit. LOL. Let’s just say that I would enjoy taking my best friend around Arizona, to Sedona, to the Grand Canyon, to the Superstition Mountains. I would take them to my favorite restaurants and live music venues to see the best of what the Valley has to offer in live entertainment. Shows at The Nash, The Van Buren, and a number of performing arts theaters around Phoenix would also be amazing. However, I am truly proud of the brand new Mesa Jazz & Blues Theater. As one of the Directors of this new venture, I look forward to many, many amazing shows there, both as a Director for the venue and as a performer there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout has to go to Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and to millions of people around the world who love and appreciate the amazing music they have created. In addition, they have inspired musicians like me to continue to take their incredible songs out to the world.

Website: www.jeffburkettmusic.com

Instagram: @jeffburkett1

Linkedin: Jeff Burkett

Twitter: @JeffBurkett17

Facebook: www.facebook.com/burkettjab

Youtube: Jeff Burkett

Other: You can find my musical endeavors on Facebook at “Candle In The Wind, The Elton John Experience”, and “Jeff Burkett as Sir Elton, the Ultimate Elton John Tribute”. All musical endeavors come together on my musician page at Jeff Burkett Music, LLC. You can visit my national brand website at www.candleinthewind.net and www.jeffburkettmusic.com.

Image Credits
Pete Schulte, Trudge, William Rose, Laurie Petriccione, Annie Cooper