JEFFREY SCOT WILLS

       was born in 1966 in Chillicothe, Ohio to parents who were both educators in the public school - his mother in vocal music and his father in instrumental music.  After graduating from Chillicothe High School in 1985, Jeffrey attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.  He started as a business major with a music minor, but switched to music education his second year, and graduated suma cum laude in December 1988.  During his time at Capital (under the study of saxophonist Jim Carroll), Jeffrey received recognition as outstanding soloist at many festivals and competitions including the Elmhurst Jazz Festival in Chicago and the National Jazz Festival in Orlando.  From 1998-1999, Jeffrey attended the University of Tennessee where he obtained a Master of Jazz Performance degree and studied with Jerry Coker and Donald Brown.

“You are not here primarily to make a living.  You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement.  You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”

     -Woodrow Wilson

During the six years following his graduation from Capital University, Jeffrey earned the respect of the public and critics alike in Columbus as the saxophonist for an extremely popular local band.  He relocated to Nashville in 1994 with his wife Karen where he quickly gained the attention of the music community.  Within three months of his arrival, Jeffrey was called by drummer Chester Thompson to be the saxophonist for Grammy Award winning vocal group TAKE 6.   Jeffrey’s other recording and performance credits include Michael McDonald, Engelbert Humperdinck, Donna Summer, Clark Terry, Terry Gibbs, Christopher Cross, Bela Fleck, T. Graham Brown, Brian McKnight, Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Grand Ole Opry, the Rosie O’Donnel Show, TBS’ Live at the House of Blues, HBO and many others.

Yeah, I know.  But nobody told me I couldn’t.......