Jeremy Facknitz - Rising Above the Din of Drunken Conversation

Serendipity brought Jeremy Facknitz into my musical life. Late this past summer, he posted on a local Kansas City Musicians Facebook Page looking for a fill in gig on just a few days’ notice to help support a solo run of gigs in the Midwest. I checked him out, was happy to help him land a last-minute slot in a songwriters’ circle at a local venue and welcomed Jeremy into the radio station for a conversation during my weekly Tasty Brew Music Radio Show.

Jeremy has entertained audiences with his lovingly crafted music and high-energy performances for decades. Since the 2002 break-up of his Detroit-based band "The Ottomans", Jeremy has performed primarily as a solo act, marrying folk-rock and jazz stylings to showcase his intimate stories of life, love, and self-discovery.

Facknitz carved out a living performing at bars, coffeeshops, and corporate events while teaching lessons on the side. Life turned on a dime when on July 17th, 2017 Jeremy was diagnosed with viral meningitis. "I came face to face with my mortality, and I realized it was time for a change. I quit performing at bars and spent the next year making the leap to house concerts, touring, and performing solely for listening audiences."

Jeremy was named a top 24 finalist from over 800 entries in the 2020 and 2022 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competitions at Kerrville Folk Festival. His songs "Ballet of an Unhatched Chick" and "Michigan (Something In The Water)" were awarded semi-finalist distinction at songoftheyear.com, also in 2020 and 2022.

As you’ll hear in this conversation, while occasionally performing with his 6 piece band in Colorado, Jeremy continues to tour solo - performing at house concerts and listening rooms in the United States, Canada and Europe. He's currently promoting his 5th album of original material "From Those Sweet Ashes" and has begun recording a follow-up album set for release in 2023. Enjoy this brief interlude with Songwriter Jeremy Facknitz.