Have You Heard?™
Today is May 12th, 2009. I have a brand new website that was completed today! www.AlyssaJacey.com. Please check it out and all of it's new features, it's never looked so cool! Thank you to Brian Gerbetz of Parenthesis Designs who did this myspace page, and my website!
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My name is Alyssa Jacey, born and raised in San Diego. Took off to Sonoma State University for 1 year of college and moved back home and then to LA to pursue my life long dream of becoming a professional hip hop dancer/choreographer. While in LA I was lucky to take classes from some of LA's TOP instructors, at the best studios, I was in a couple music videos and one dance TV show but I lost so much of that fire that pushed me to move there in the first place. I got lost in the LA bubble and had to get out. But before I did, my co-workers at a bar I worked at, forced me onto our Karaoke stage one night and I had never sang in front of anyone AT ALL! It was 2004 and for the 9 months I was there, singing Karaoke became a hobby of mine which I took home with me when I moved back home that August. Each night was a surprise to me, I never once thought I would EVER sing and I can't tell you how many butterflies I got...after stepping off stage and getting asked by random people where they could see my next show or buy a CD. It was nuts and incredibly unexpected. December, I called a producer friend of mine and said, "I know you know me as 'Alyssa the choreographer/dancer/model/sarcastic chick from SD, but how would you feel about taking a chance on producing an EP for me?" That's how 'The Alyssa Jacey EP' came about, in March of 2005, and 'Closed eyes... ...open Heart' LP came 2 months later, with Group8Productions.
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I submitted my CD's like a fiend, bugged every local venue, radio station, Internet radio (internationally) and directed them to my very first web page, www.alyssajacey.com. Back then, it was 'Singer/Actress/Dancer/Model' Yeah. Just short of confusing to most visitors, if not spot-on. So, I dropped it all except the 'Singer' part and added 'Songwriter,' (ask me about this at a show). My very first "show" was singing 'Stormy Weather' at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego (May, I think?) in 2005, followed shortly by 8 performances at the San Diego (back then, Del Mar) County Fair, a gigantic leap to the Belly Up and Canes, which I have now either headlined or performed at both multiple times. I picked up the guitar that October and have been self-taught ever since. (Thank you to my dearest Pepe Romero of the Romero brothers, who is a very close family friend, who gave me my first guitar to encourage me).
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From singing 'Beer and Wine' a'capella in mid-flight to Vegas to traveling to Florida to record my 3rd CD, 'The Soul' EP in 2006 (DMT3 Productions), to writing 'Dear Life' on the airplane home, to now having written about 180 songs, from being interviewed live on Internet radio and mainstream radio, local TV performances, Hotel Cafe, House of Blues and Roxy shows in LA last year, opening for Ernie Halter, Bushwalla and Scott Russo (Unwritten Law), I never knew how far not taking "no" for an answer would take me. I did all of this while going to school full time at California State University, San Marcos, and graduated in 2007 with a BA in Communications. It CAN be done!
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So there you have it. That has been my secret. I never take/took "no" for an answer. When you develop a love for something and you spend 6 hours a day, 5 days a week crafting it (back when I first started learning guitar, yes, I did spend that much time on it...at least, the first 3 weeks were THAT intense, then it became practicing every day for a couple hours), you write your a$$ off, share, explore, eat, sleep, dream about what it could become. It then becomes part of you and you find a way to make it work. Music is such a large part of my life and all that I do, that often times I have even woken up in mid-song! I've written a few songs within seconds of opening my eyes. 'You Are My Passion,' which is on my page now (go listen!), is one of them. I dream up songs and get ideas that way but most come to me while I'm driving, or simply listening to someone speak, so beware, when you talk to me I might be writing a song in mid-conversation;) hahaha
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What's up with this year? (this next section taken directly from the alyssajacey.com bio)
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"Alyssa, who does (and has always done) all her own booking, band management, promotion and marketing, has set the tone for 2009 as being her most successful year yet! Back in January, Alyssa performed on The CW (San Diego's channel 6), opened for Bushwalla (friend/roommate of Jason Mraz), interviewed live on FM949 and completely re-designed this website and her Myspace page with a fresh new look, more music and updates! In February, Alyssa was invited back into the FM949 studio for her second interview with Tim Pyles, to promote her acoustic show opening for Scott Russo (of Unwritten Law) later that month. She also performed live on KUSI (SD channels 9/51)! March was a busy month: 7 shows including the San Diego Indie Music Festival, toured many of Southern California's colleges and university's and had yet another TV performance back on the CW. In April, she sang the National Anthem live for a Padres home game, which you can view on YouTube by searching for: Alyssa Jacey National Anthem. She also bought a keyboard and is currently teaching herself how to play! Earlier in May, Jacey opened for both Ernie Halter and The Rescues at The Hotel Cafe in LA. You can buy her new LIVE CD from that night on the music page now! On May 22nd she headlines at Lestat’s West! Presently, there are two FANTASTIC pieces of news for AJ! One is that she will be opening for Paula Cole (Who wrote the hits, 'I Don't Wanna Wait' and 'Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?') on Sunday, July 26th at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano! You can purchase tickets now by going to the music page! The other is that she is currently in the studio recording her first full-length album in Los Angeles with the notable Eric Fraley. It will feature her fans favorites, such as, “Fall Out,” “Feel Like This,” and of course many more! “I have a list of 70 music-specific goals to accomplish this year. My top 3 are to complete this album by my birthday (12/28), maintain steady band members for a 3-5-piece band, and be able to hop from guitar to drums to keys in the same show. I went from guitar to drums at the Coach House last year, so next is playing keys! I’d like to release my upcoming CD at the Belly Up Tavern, in late winter, where I plan to perform on all 3 instruments. I can’t wait, that will be such a fun show!” Look out for BIG things in the very near future for Alyssa Jacey!"
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That was kinda long, I know, but I'm a Communications Major (former English Major, so what can I say?!) Thank you for visiting! Please take a look around, enjoy my obsessiveness with the color blue and the music I have created. I am currently trying to gather donations to help me pay for the album I start recording this week. I was working 2 jobs but now I'm only working 1 day a week (not by choice) and could use all the help I can get. Scroll back up to my Blog section to see how you can take part in donating to the 2009 Alyssa Jacey Recording Project! Thank you so much again for being "here." It is a blessing to be aided by you in my journey to success and hopefully, you'll see me get "there."
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Love, peace, and magical blue notes ♫♫,

~Alyssa