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Industry News
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Jeff Timmons
The Massillon (near Canton), Ohio native sang with his brother and sister for fun in choirs, school plays and everywhere else cute kids with voices sing. “I wasn’t in a clique in high school because my interests were so diverse. I was on the debate team, in choir, and I played football.” The jock was even a wrestler. As far as a musical career, Jeff accidentally got involved with the biz after impressing a group of college girls, while singing with some buds. He attended Kent State to study psychology but then, he dropped out to pursue a music career in California, when his family moved west to the Bay area. Jeff and friends took the “Bart” into San Francisco from his home in Concord and literally passed the “hat” around near famed Fisherman’s Wharf. Whatever cash was made was used for food and daily life. Flash Forward: Jeff met James Brown’s security guard. Instead of the VIP connection immediately assisting him to jump into the music scene, Jeff found a bevy of security jobs at eclectic Hollywood nightclubs. It wasn’t until a fight broke out and his head was cracked open with a beer bottle that he made the decision to leave and work privately at a VIP’s estate, where it was a safer bet. An accidental audition brought him a commercial in Hawaii for the Navy. About that time he formed his second group, what is now 98 Degrees. Another high point: Singing at the White House, twice. “I’ve never been so nervous before a performance, when I was to sing a-cappella for President Clinton. It was the first time we were doing ‘Ave Maria’ in public and it was live on TV for a White House Holiday Special.” No need for anxiety the group was invited back. Other highlights include hosting and appearing on such shows as MTV's "TRL," "Beach House," "House of Style," "Video Music Awards," "American Music Awards," "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve," "The Tonight Show," and "The Teen Choice Awards" (for which he is the owner of their coveted award surf board), among many others. Jeff shows no signs of limiting himself as a musician, producer and songwriter. He is about to star in his first feature film, titled "Newport Heights," which will film this Fall and hit theatres in Summer 2005. Two children later, Jeff is a serious family man as Dad to pre-school Alyssa, age 5 and Jeffrey, Jr. (Baby J) age 2. The words to his recently released solo CD, are dedicated to his family, who is his constant inspiration. For more information about Jeff visit JeffTimmons.com.
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