Jay Clifford

The lead singer and main songwriter for the music group Jump, Little Children. He was born November 21, 1971, the son of a boat builder. He studied classical guitar at the North Carolina School of the Arts along with fellow bandmates Matthew Bivins, Evan Bivins and Ward Williams (band member Jonathan Gray joined the band a few years later). Matthew Bivins described Clifford in high school as "the one that would get in front of the entire school during an assembly and sing a James Taylor song, perfectly. And then he would simply vanish into thin air."

Blessed with a voice that has "made grown men cry," Clifford took only one college semester of voice lessons before deciding he hated it. He has a wide-octave range, and can hit a note in such a way that it will make a song take on a whole new meaning.

Not only does he have a beautiful voice, Clifford has a wonderful talent for creating song lyrics and musical compositions. "Wordsmith" is the most apt word to describe his talent, and Clifford's words blend amazingly with his music and arrangement. This is illustrated in songs such as "Vertigo," "Just a Second" and "Cathedrals."

Besides music, Jay Clifford enjoys "windsurfing, sailing, running and making bread." Some of his side projects include the folk oratorio"Charles Waters" and the "torchlight" music group Rosebud.

When asked what he would do if he were not a musician, Clifford answers, "I'd probably be a boat builder, like my dad."