Leejay describes himself as a “sort of writer on a kind of quest,” that quest being a “search for various Holy Grails,” including “inner peace, wisdom, timeless songs, and the perfect apple pie.” Since he was a boy growing up in “Bruce Springsteen’s back yard,” a very rural county just south of Freehold, New Jersey, he has written songs—-and tried his hand at other forms of art—-in an attempt to “exorcise demons, get at some truth,” and come up with results “within sight” of those of his heroes. He reports “only marginal success—-inner peace and wisdom being elusive, and those heroes being just too damned good.” They include Hank Williams, Hank Cochran, Boudleaux Bryant, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Ian Tyson, Willie Nelson, The Beatles, The Stones, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, The Band, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Jimmy Webb, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, John Lennon solo, John Prine, Gram Parsons, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Richard Thompson, Bruce Springsteen, Cat Stevens, Patti Smith, Lucinda Williams, and Lyle Lovett.
Read more...