How/when:
First heard of JSS when I joined this site just before he joined Journey. I had pretty much given up on Journey, nothing against SA.....he's a good singer......I'm just pretty particular on my vocals. I missed the soul and passionate delivery Perry brought to the table. For me it's all about bringing a ballad with soul and a rocker with passion! Had pretty much kept up a little on Journey but had moved on to other music.....until I saw/heard a clip on youtube of JSS singing I'll Be Alright Without You. WOW, there was that soul/passionate delivery that was missing for me. Wham, I was right back into Journey again, planned on catching a show if possible and started looking up JSS' past catalogue and was floored. Loved his solo stuff and Talisman, started buying every cd and dvd I could get my hands on.
Lost In The Translation quickly became a favorite.......still one of the very few cds I own that I let play completely through.
On a weekend in California visiting friends, ended up seeing Jeff perform for the first time at Lofflers in Anaheim with Marco Mendoza and Neal Schon joining JSSB for a song. Loved the song Praise they did and came home and ordered Soul Sirkus straight away. Was great to meet a bunch of MRers and the musicians, everybody was all freaked at meeting Neal and it's funny I met him and shook his hand but walked away twice as thrilled at meeting Jeff and Gary. There is something about their personalities that just shines through in a crowd. I have since timed a few visits with Cali friends around JSSB shows and have to say there is nothing quite like a JSSB show in a smaller venue! Have seen Jeff perform quite a few times now, including Wednesday with TSO. His solo absolutely blew me away.......throwing that song down with the soul and passion that put him in my top 3 in the first place. This past summer when JSS had EM join him for a song in SF, that was yet another musical dream come true for this fan. And to see them both perform with Scrap Metal last month was an absolute thrill! If somebody would have told me a few years ago that I would end up meeting all 3 of my favorite vocalists, I probably would have told them they were on drugs.
Musical memories ya can't put a pricetag on. The icing on the cake was finding out all 3 of them are nice, down-to-earth guys, that truly appreciate their fans. It's funny, somebody recently said to me......but wouldn't you want to meet JBJ? I actually said, nope.........there is no way he'd measure up to the experience of meeting those 3.
Why:
Simple, two words. Genuine and talented!
Genuine, in that no matter what knocks him down, he gets up, brushes himself off and carries on. I like his zest for life attitude. He's humble yet confident and truly appreciates and cares about his fans. There is a reason why he's got so many loyal fans world wide.
Talented, goes without saying. All 3 of my favorites singers share a special kind of vocal delivery that only comes from being soul/R&B influenced rock vocalists. Call it emoting, call it whatever.....hard to describe. I knew it once I'd heard each one of them sing something motownish. Sold! Not to mention JSS'
Broken Man live at Paladino's WOW!
I know for a fact if I would have heard JSS' vocals on songs like Back To The Feeling or 4 U or many others....20 years ago.......I'd easily have been a fan for 20 years now.
Great thread, Richard.
. He even got me to shake my little non-existent rearend. The boyo did nothing for the next six weeks but listen to everything he could get his hands on by Jeff. He's solely responsible (I think) for the band geeks out here singin 21st Century on the band trips this year. 
