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Jay Gruska

Jay Gruska
Born (1952-04-23) 23 April 1952 (age 72)
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Occupation(s)Film composer, television composer, songwriter, music producer, arranger
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboard
Years active1974–present
Websitejaygruska.com

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.

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

Discography

Solo releases

  • Gruska on Gruska (1974)[9]
  • Which One of Us Is Me (1984)[9]

With Three Dog Night

With Maxus

  • Maxus (1981)[9]

Film and television

Project Title Project Type Credit and Notes
Supernatural TV series Composer, with Christopher Lennertz
Ruby & the Rockits TV series Composer, songwriter, and music producer
Charmed TV series Composer
Wildfire TV series Composer
Hack TV series Composer
War Stories TV movie Composer
The Division TV series Composer
That's Life TV series Composer
Beverly Hills, 90210 TV series Composer
Bellyfruit Film Composer
Falcone TV series Composer
Waiting for Woody Short Composer
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman TV series Composer
Charlie Grace TV series Composer
Courthouse TV series Composer
Trapped in Space TV movie Composer
Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas TV movie Composer
A Time to Heal TV movie Composer
Dying to Remember TV movie Composer
Without Warning: Terror in the Towers TV movie Composer
Sisters TV series Composer
Mo' Money Film Composer
Baby of the Bride TV movie Composer
Child of Darkness, Child of Light TV movie Composer
Another Pair of Aces: Three of a Kind TV movie Composer
Nightmare on the 13th Floor TV movie Composer
Against the Law TV series Composer
The World's Oldest Living Bridesmaid TV movie Composer
Wheels of Terror TV movie Composer
thirtysomething TV series Composer
Sing Film Composer
Shadow Dancing Film Composer
The Principal Film Composer
"David Cassidy: Man Undercover" TV series Composer (with David Cassidy)
The Great Defender TV series Composer
Cocoon Film Arranger and producer
Commando Film Music producer
The Cutting Edge Film Songwriter (with Danny O'Keefe) and producer for "Turning Circles", performed by Sally Dworsky
Adventures in Babysitting Film Songwriter (with Barry Goldberg), arranger, and producer for "Just Can't Stop", performed by Percy Sledge
Stella Film Songwriter (with Paul Gordon)

Songwriting credits

Song Title Album Artist Credit and Notes
"Good for Me" Heart in Motion Amy Grant Co-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: Dynamite Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson Co-songwriter with Michael Omartian and Bruce Sudano. Gold album. Three weeks at #1 on Billboard dance chart.[10]
"Friends and Lovers" Carl Anderson Carl Anderson and Gloria Loring Co-songwriter with Paul Gordon. #1 on AC charts.[11] #2 on pop charts. 900,000 singles sold.
"Both to Each Other" Rabbit Trax & Great Hills Eddie Rabbitt and Juice Newton Co-songwriter with Paul Gordon. #1 on country charts.[12]
"What You're Missing" Chicago 16 Chicago Co-songwriter with Joseph Williams. Double platinum album.
"Turning Circles" The Cutting Edge soundtrack Sally Dworsky Co-songwriter (with Danny O'Keefe) and producer
"Just Can't Stop" Adventures in Babysitting soundtrack Percy Sledge Co-songwriter (with Barry Goldberg), arranger, and producer
"One More Cheer" Stella soundtrack Bette Midler Co-songwriter (with Paul Gordon)

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. ^ "Genie Award Nominees 1989". Cinema Canada. February–March 1989. pp. 27–35.
  9. ^ a b c d "Jay Gruska". Sessiondays. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  10. ^ Michael Tops Billboard Charts for Dance/Club Songs Archived 2014-11-12 at archive.today michaeljackson.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  11. ^ Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts 1986 billboard.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
  12. ^ Billboard Country Charts 1986 billboard.com. Accessed 12 November 2014.
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