After a decade of playing in Akron-area rock bands, Jeff Klemm has a new gig writing and performing children鈥檚 music as Mr. Jeff.
Klemm has become a favorite, family-friendly performer throughout the region, blending his background as a music teacher, songwriter and audio engineer with his experience working with children as a pre-K teacher.
He released his debut Mr. Jeff album, 鈥淲onderful Wonderful Wonderful,鈥� this spring. He is kicking off a library tour June 1, with stops at 20 locations in Summit, Medina and Portage counties.
鈥淚've got a bunch of pool noodle drumsticks that the kids can play with. I have a bunch of xylophones and pianos and fake little guitars,鈥� Klemm said. "There's like a moment in the set where everybody gets an instrument, whatever they want to play, and then we all rock 鈥榥鈥� roll together.鈥�
Entering sobriety and fatherhood
Klemm spent most nights in his 20s touring and playing in bars with one of his many rock bands, from Maid Myriad to Diamond Kites and Jeff Klemm and The Letters.
But in 2016, his first son was born, and he decided to get sober. He hit pause on the bar scene and his sad rock songs.
鈥淚 didn't want to be the 鈥榃hiskey Song鈥� guy forever,鈥� Klemm said.
Klemm started working as a preschool teacher in 2017.
鈥淚 have what I think is a unique perspective as a parent, as a musician, as a teacher. It's like I could use all these things to put this positivity out there and hopefully make the world a better place."Jeff Klemm
鈥淚 just wanted to focus on being a preschool guy. I wanted to learn. I wanted to absorb as much as I possibly can in this new field,鈥� Klemm said. 鈥淎nd then, of course, my friend who worked there was like, 鈥榊ou need to bring your guitar.鈥欌��
Klemm said he soon became the 鈥済uitar guy鈥� at the school, and his students were enthusiastic about writing songs.
鈥淚t came from me, like, bringing the guitar once to me drilling literal holes in the wall for a hanger for my guitar to live in my classroom,鈥� Klemm said.
Fatherhood and getting sober were major life events that led Klemm to create music for kids. He started listening to children鈥檚 songs with his son, Silas, and thought many of them could be improved.
鈥淎nd then I realized, you know, I have something I think that I can add to this space that's unique and complex and original and could help kids.鈥� Klemm said.
Putting the album together
Klemm has spent the past decade as a songwriter, having penned four full-length albums, several EPs and numerous singles between all of his musical projects and performing in 41 states with various bands.
He said his preschool class and his own children sing on his debut children鈥檚 album as . They helped him write it too.
鈥淚t's just kind of part of the way we play,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he music is for kids and for them, and I want them to have as much say in it as I do.鈥�
The album's title came from a common phrase Klemm would say in his classroom.
鈥淚t was just like a catchphrase of mine, 鈥榃onderful, wonderful, wonderful. Let's go over here and start using markers,鈥欌�� Klemm said.
鈥淧layin' on the Playground鈥� is the first song Klemm wrote for 鈥淲onderful Wonderful Wonderful."
He filmed the music video for the song with his son, Silas, at a playground in their hometown of Cuyahoga Falls.
Klemm said most of his songs are about being silly and having fun, and he takes feedback from his children seriously when developing each new tune.
鈥淭he Birthday Song鈥� initially featured a chromatic walkdown mimicking the sound of walking downstairs.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥極h, that's so cool and interesting. Musicians are going to love it.鈥� And then I showed it to my daughter afterward,鈥� Klemm said. 鈥淪he listened to that part, and her face got real scared. I'm like, 鈥楾hat's got to go.鈥欌��
Keeping children safe and educating them has been a major part of Klemm鈥檚 life since becoming a father and teacher.
His song, 鈥淟ose The 鈥楾ude,鈥� was inspired by his own mother and is now a phrase he says to his children.
鈥淭his is absolutely my son's least favorite song on the record,鈥� Klemm said. 鈥淗e like, covers his ears when I play it, because he thinks I'm talking straight to him.鈥�
He said his songs are also meant to educate parents, help them communicate and teach lessons to their children.
鈥淚 have what I think is a unique perspective as a parent, as a musician, as a teacher. It's like I could use all these things to put this positivity out there and hopefully make the world a better place,鈥� Klemm said.
Reaching audiences through the screen and stage
The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic inspired Klemm to broadcast his children鈥檚 songs from home and school to the world.
鈥淲hen the shutdown happened, I was like, 鈥楾hese poor kids, they don't understand, I don't understand,鈥欌�� Klemm said. 鈥淪o, it was one of those things where it's like, I want to keep connecting with the kids in my classroom.鈥�
He started livestreaming his hour-long performances as Mr. Jeff six days a week, and viewers from across the globe tuned in.
His fun and educational music videos on his have gained nearly 100,000 views.
Once pandemic restrictions were lifted, Klemm began performing in person around Northeast Ohio. His shows are known for their high energy and encouragement of kids to join in and move around.
Klemm said parents enjoy the shows because they often leave their children entertained and ready for a nap.
He is now working on music videos for all 13 songs on 鈥淲onderful Wonderful Wonderful.鈥�
Klemm said he hopes to nurture the next generation of rock stars through private lessons and public performances.
"To hopefully inspire a kid to go play their own music and write their own songs with real live instruments and not a computer,鈥� Klemm said.
