Jake Eddy shows creative spark in music and fashion
And he is only 17 years old.
Eddy, a junior at Parkersburg South High School, is a musician, songwriter, fashion designer, entertainment booking agent and, most of all, he says, a creative person.
Last November, Eddy recorded an album, “The Miller Girl,” with singer/songwriter Steve Hussey on Hussey’s Merf Records label. The album’s title song of the same name reached No. 184 on radio airplay among all genres of music worldwide, according to Digital Radio Tracker.
Eddy plays seven musical instruments on “The Miller Girl” album and sings backing vocals on the Americana tunes. He played a major role in arranging the music for the album.
Hussey and Eddy are now booking a tour to support the album.
Eddy is director of merchandising and the booking agent at Merf Records and Entertainment LLC, of Wood County, which features a record label, publishing company and a recording studio that Hussey created.
“He has a good sense of what makes a good song,” Hussey, a veteran songwriter and musician, said of Eddy.
Hussey refers to Eddy as an “old soul” and someone who acts older than his years.
“It is easy to forget how old Jake is,” said Hussey. “He is well-spoken, smart and talented with everything,” Hussey adds. “You forget he is a kid.”
Hussey believes that Eddy should sing more often on future songs.
“He has a good voice,” he said.
Hussey is certain Eddy will be a success in whatever endeavor he chooses — whether music, design or some other venture.
“He is going places,” Hussey said.
Eddy said he handles cover art and designs for singers and groups and works in booking and promotion for the artists associated with Merf. On a freelance basis, he also is booking musicians in Florida, Tennessee and on the West Coast, he said.
Jake’s parents, Chad and Mary Eddy of Parkersburg, have been supportive in their son’s musical and creative pursuits, Hussey said.
He is part of a musical family. Jake, his brother Carter and their grandfather Al Barnett are members of the band Simply Bluegrass. Mary Eddy, a member of the band The Janes, is a talented songwriter and musician, Hussey noted.
Mary, Jake (playing the banjo) and Carter Eddy collaborated on a tune that won a national Band-Aid jingle contest in June 2014.
Jake Eddy won the youth flatpick guitar contest, third place in mandolin (all ages) and second place in bluegrass banjo (all ages) at the Vandalia Gathering in Charleston in 2015. He won second place for bluegrass banjo (all ages) at Vandalia in 2014, and third place mandolin (all ages) and second place bluegrass banjo (all ages) last year at the state competition at Vandalia Gathering.
Eddy said he likes the creative process in general, whether it be playing music, producing music, designing clothes or working in other creative outlets.
Separate from his work with Merf Records and Entertainment LLC, Eddy said he is trying to produce a record album on an iPhone that Apple might be interested in as a marketing tool.
“It would be a way to show the capabilities of an iPhone to an artist,” he said.
Working independently, Eddy designs and creates custom-made clothes for girls and women out of his Parkersburg home. He also is now collaborating on clothing work with designer Jay Kang and the brand Trial and Error, Eddy said.
He can be contacted by email at Joseph Lombard at the jakeeddy@gmail.com.
With all these outside interests, Eddy still maintains a 3.5 grade point average at Parkersburg South. At PSHS he is a member of the marching band, jazz ensemble and concert band.
In February, Eddy, playing the guitar, was named overall outstanding high school soloist at the Marshall University Jazz Festival.
Eddy said people have a “responsibility” to create things and he does not want to waste any time in leaving his creative mark.