Jay Gruska

Jay Gruska (/ˈɡrʌskə/; born April 23, 1952) is an American songwriter and composer best known for his film and television scoring, and for writing hit songs for a variety of artists. He has composed musical scores for dozens of TV dramas, with over 500 hours of shows played internationally.

Jay Gruska
Born (1952-04-23) 23 April 1952
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Occupation(s)Film composer, television composer, songwriter, music producer, arranger
InstrumentsPiano, keyboard
Years active1974–present
Websitejaygruska.com

Gruska has received three Emmy Award nominations, one Genie Award nomination, and nine ASCAP awards. Some of his best-known scores are for the TV shows Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Charmed, and Supernatural.[1]

Career

Gruska started his career as a singer/songwriter. He was briefly a member of Three Dog Night in 1976, replacing Danny Hutton, until the group disbanded. He had recording contracts with ABC Records and Warner Bros. Records with the band Maxus,[2] for which he was the lead singer and songwriter. Warner Bros. Records later released his solo album Which One of Us Is Me, which Gruska also produced.

Gruska is also known for co-writing the hit duet "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)" for Jermaine and Michael Jackson; the Gloria Loring/Carl Anderson duet "Friends and Lovers" (also released in a country version under the title "Both To Each Other (Friends and Lovers)," performed by Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt); and Amy Grant's "Good for Me".[3][4][5]

In November 2014, the 200th episode of Supernatural, titled "Fan Fiction", aired on The CW.[6] Gruska wrote and produced two songs for the episode (co-writing the lyrics with screenwriter Robbie Thompson). Within 24 hours after the episode aired, one of the songs, "The Road So Far", was #3 on the iTunes soundtrack chart and #57 among all songs on iTunes.

Personal life

Gruska is the father of Barbara and Ethan Gruska, the members of the pop music duo The Belle Brigade.[7]

Awards and nominations

Awards
  • 2014: ASCAP Film/TV Award - Score, Supernatural
  • 2010: ASCAP Film/TV Award - Score, Supernatural
  • 1998: ASCAP Film/TV Award - Score, Charmed
  • 1993: ASCAP Pop Award - "Good for Me"
  • 1988: ASCAP Country Award - "Friends & Lovers (Both to Each Other)"
  • 1988: ASCAP Pop Award - "Friends & Lovers (Both to Each Other)"
  • 1987: ASCAP Country Award - "Friends & Lovers (Both to Each Other)"
  • 1987: ASCAP Pop Award - "Friends & Lovers (Both to Each Other)"

Nominations
  • 2000: Emmy Award Nomination - Best Original Score, Falcone
  • 2000: Emmy Award Nomination - Best Main Title Theme Music, Falcone[8]
  • 1996: Golden Reel Nomination - Music, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
  • 1995: Golden Reel Nomination - Music, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
  • 1994: Golden Reel Nomination - Music, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
  • 1994: Emmy Award Nomination - Best Main Title Theme Music, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman[9]
  • 1989: GENIE Award Nomination - Shadow Dancing[10]

Film and television
Project TitleProject TypeCredit and Notes
SupernaturalTV SeriesComposer, with Christopher Lennertz
Ruby & the RockitsTV SeriesComposer, songwriter, and music producer
CharmedTV SeriesComposer
WildfireTV SeriesComposer
HackTV SeriesComposer
War StoriesTV MovieComposer
The DivisionTV SeriesComposer
That's LifeTV SeriesComposer
Beverly Hills, 90210TV SeriesComposer
BellyfruitFilmComposer
FalconeTV SeriesComposer
Waiting for WoodyShortComposer
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanTV SeriesComposer
Charlie GraceTV SeriesComposer
CourthouseTV SeriesComposer
Trapped in SpaceTV MovieComposer
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las VegasTV MovieComposer
A Time to HealTV MovieComposer
Dying to RememberTV MovieComposer
Without Warning: Terror in the TowersTV MovieComposer
SistersTV SeriesComposer
Mo' MoneyFilmComposer
Baby of the BrideTV MovieComposer
Child of Darkness, Child of LightTV MovieComposer
Another Pair of Aces: Three of a KindTV MovieComposer
Nightmare on the 13th FloorTV MovieComposer
Against the LawTV SeriesComposer
The World's Oldest Living BridesmaidTV MovieComposer
Wheels of TerrorTV MovieComposer
thirtysomethingTV SeriesComposer
SingFilmComposer
Shadow DancingFilmComposer
The PrincipalFilmComposer
"David Cassidy: Man Undercover"TV SeriesComposer (with David Cassidy)
The Great DefenderTV SeriesComposer
CocoonFilmArranger and producer
CommandoFilmMusic producer
The Cutting EdgeFilmSongwriter (with Danny O'Keefe) and producer for "Turning Circles", performed by Sally Dworsky
Adventures in BabysittingFilmSongwriter (with Barry Goldberg), arranger, and producer for "Just Can't Stop", performed by Percy Sledge
StellaFilmSongwriter (with Paul Gordon)

Discography
Song TitleAlbumArtistCredit and Notes
"Good for Me"Heart in MotionAmy GrantCo-songwriter with Tom Snow (lyrics by Amy Grant and Wayne Kirkpatrick). Quadruple platinum album. #1 on AOR Charts. #8 Billboard Hot 100.
"Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming"Jermaine Jackson: DynamiteJermaine Jackson and Michael JacksonCo-songwriter with Michael Omartian and Bruce Sudano. Gold album. Three weeks at #1 on Billboard dance chart.[11]
"Friends and Lovers"Carl AndersonCarl Anderson and Gloria LoringCo-songwriter with Paul Gordon. #1 on AC charts.[12] #2 on pop charts. 900,000 singles sold.
"Both to Each Other"Rabbit Trax & Great HillsEddie Rabbitt and Juice NewtonCo-songwriter with Paul Gordon. #1 on country charts.[13]
"What You're Missing"Chicago 16ChicagoCo-songwriter with Joseph Williams. Double platinum album.
Which One of Us Is MeJay GruskaArtist, songwriter, and producer.
"Where Were You"MaxusMaxusArtist and songwriter.
"Turning Circles"The Cutting Edge soundtrackSally DworskyCo-songwriter (with Danny O'Keefe) and producer
"Just Can't Stop"Adventures in Babysitting soundtrackPercy SledgeCo-songwriter (with Barry Goldberg), arranger, and producer
"One More Cheer"Stella soundtrackBette MidlerCo-songwriter (with Paul Gordon)
gollark: It's an example of a memorable and yet fairly high-entropy password.
gollark: Simply unexplode your brain.
gollark: Too bad.
gollark: https://xkcd.com/936
gollark: This is where the advice to have complex passwords come from, although it's actually terrible because "arbitrary dictionary word plus some weird characters" is low entropy.

References
  1. "'Supernatural' Musical Episode 'Fan Fiction' to Feature Songs by Christopher Lennertz & Jay Gruska" Film Music Reporter. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  2. "JAY GRUSKA on Adult Contemporary Music in Japan" bekkoame.ne.jp. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  3. "2009 Presenters - LimmundLA." Archived 2015-01-19 at the Wayback Machine limmundla. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  4. Copyright Encyclopedia Copyright Encyclopedia. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  5. "'Being Earnest' Review" triviana arts & entertainment, theater. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  6. "Supernatural Oral History: Ackles, Padalecki, Kripke on 200 Episodes" Variety.com. Accessed 17 November 2014.
  7. Kevin Bronson, "The Belle Brigade: All in the Family", L.A. Weekly, March 31, 2011.
  8. Nominees/Winners|Television Academy emmys.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  9. Nominees/Winners|Television Academy emmys.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  10. Genie Awards (1989) imdb.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  11. Michael Tops Billboard Charts for Dance/Club Songs Archived 2014-11-12 at Archive.today michaeljackson.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  12. Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts 1986 billboard.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  13. Billboard Country Charts 1986 billboard.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
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