J.D. Kelly

Vocals

Long Island native J.D. Kelly got his start singing in cover bands at the age of thirteen. He studied voice with Myra Manning in the 1980s, and wrote and recorded at New York’s Power Station studio with the Frankie Carr Band. The band’s signature song “Perfume and Leather” (co-written by Kelly) was selected as a regional winner in the 103.5 WAPP “Rock to Riches” contest.

When the project broke up, some members regrouped as “Broken Toys”, a popular New York-based writing project/live cover act that garnered a production deal with Atlantic Records. One of the songs from those sessions was “Tears Cried in the Rain”, which appeared on the debut album from J.D’s next project, From The Fire.

That album, Thirty Days and Dirty Nights (1992), was produced at LA’s Fortress Studios by Jean Beauvoir and Pat Regan, and is considered a classic in the Melodic Rock genre. Two more self-produced albums emerged from From The Fire – Evil Men Do (2014), and OctOpus (2016). J.D. also did lead vocals on a UK-based compilation album called Santa Ana Winds II; Steel Breeze (2021) and a solo album, Imperfect Heart (2021).

He’s been the lead singer for the national touring Eagles tribute “Eaglemania” since May 2017, and currently lives in Red Bank, New Jersey.