Jake Geppert – Musician Biography
Jake Geppert is a musician who lives in Vermont. Covering a wide variety of styles Bluegrass, Acoustic rock , Irish, and Jamband.
A prolific songwriter, he keeps it close to the ground with feeling and honesty.
Jake was born and grew up in Ramsey, New Jersey. He played in the school band along with several rock groups in high school. His band “Paradox” won the talent show at Ramsey High in 1983.
Jake discovered the Banjo and Bluegrass music from the band “Old & In The Way.” He completed one year at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey in 1984. There he studied music with instructors who came from Julliard School of Music. Jake then moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1985 and recorded with the Bluegrass band “Shady Grove” in 1987.
He moved to Vermont in 1989 and formed the popular rock band, The Goatjumpers, through 1997. While Jake was playing with The Goatjumpers, he also helped form another popular Bluegrass band, The Bondville Boys, in 1991. The Bondville Boys originally featured Jake Geppert on banjo, guitar, vocals and mandolin, Tom Morris on guitar, vocals and banjo, Will Goodwin on Bass, Vocals and Dave Arnold on Mandolin and Vocals. In the early 2000’s, Will Goodwin moved to Massachusetts and was replaced by Dennis Fink on Bass. Laura Molinelli, a long time musician and friend of the band would sometimes join on guitar and vocals through the years and became a full time member in 2013. Later, Ben Campbell joined the band on Mandolin, Vocals and Chris Heins on Bass and Vocals.
The Bondville Boys played together from 1991 to 2018, when Thomas Morris, one of the original founders passed away unexpectedly to the flu and meningitis. For more information about Tom Morris and The Bondville Boys, visit www.bondvilleboys.com
In 2001, while playing with the Bondville Boys, Jake also joined with the Rad/Trad Band, “Crazy Maggy” out of Newburyport, Massachusetts. He left Maggy in 2005 to continue playing with the Bondville Boys and pursue his singer/songwriter career.
Currently Jake performs solo and with friends, while recording his new album. He can be found playing with the Buzzards, featuring long time musicians, Paul Biscayne, Colin blaze and friends, at farmers markets, fairs, music, garlic and art festivals, taverns, private parties and weddings throughout Vermont, New York and New England. If you’re in Vermont during March, you can also find Jake playing with the awesome Irish band, Tommy Bone’s Thunderous Tones at the Red Fox Inn, for their annual St. Patty’s Day weekend.
Most recently, Jake has formed a new Duet Grateful Dead cover band, the Morning Dudes, with musician Tom Van Sant from Middlebury, Vt.
When Jake is not playing music, he teaches music lessons privately and on-line via Zoom, and is currently working on his new CD album and creating new video recordings of his music on Youtube. Jake taught private after school lessons at Burr & Burton Academy in Manchester, Vt. from 2015 – 2018.
