It was the 90s when I first set foot in New York, with a guitar and a dream to become a singer-songwriter. The vibrant streets of the Village became my stage, and songwriting was my craft. Over time, my life however, took a spiritual turn. Even though I wasn't performing much then, I never stopped writing music. It wasn't until 2018 that I recorded my first set of songs, an EP titled "Man of Faith." I waited a long time before I recorded my music. It wasn't because I didn't want to. I just wasn't sure how I wanted my songs to sound, and I didn't have the money to experiment. I wanted my songs to have the right layers and be just right before I began recording them.
Why I Started my Non-profit 'A New Song USA'?
I noticed something important. The movies we watch and the music we listen to really shape what we strive for and who we dream of becoming. We often want to be like the stars we see on screen, thinking that will make us happy. However, chasing these dreams can lead us to forget who we really are. Some people even spend years chasing a dream that isn't right for them, which can lead to a lot of sadness. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to write songs that had a positive message. I began to write songs that could help people find their true selves. That is why I started a non-profit called "A New Song USA." The goal was to share these songs and encourage other artists to create art that makes a positive impact on people.
My First Prison Visit
One day, a chaplain from a prison in Pennsylvania heard my music. He invited me to come and play for the inmates in the facility he worked in. It was a new experience for me. Walking through the prison halls to each of the locked doors, waiting for it to open and hearing the steel locks open and close was intense. I wasn't allowed to bring my own equipment into this prison and had to use and the equipment they had. It was a bit tricky getting used to it at first but once I started to play and sing it all came together. As I looked around the room, I could see that the inmates appreciated it. They were smiling and moving a bit to the groove of the songs. Some of them asked questions about the songs and they all thanked me for coming and even gave me blessings.
The Impact of Music in Prison
Reflecting on my first prison performance I realized something interesting, I felt that my songs were really being listened to and that the words were appreciated. Being in prison seemed to give the inmates a chance to think about their lives without distractions like the internet or cell phones (I'm not saying that everyone should have this experience). I felt that my music gave them comfort with its hopeful messages. Maybe it will even help them change for the better. That is when I decided to keep visiting prisons.
Mission of My Non-Profit
The mission of my non-profit was always about bringing people together through music. So, playing in prisons felt like a natural step. I started looking for more prisons to visit and began to learn the ropes. I began to contact prisons all around the country and talk to the people in charge of volunteers or the chaplains. Sometimes they saw my concerts as a religious event, but I always made it clear that my music is for everyone. I write songs that anyone can relate to, no matter their background or beliefs. I am hoping to visit more prisons and that the word will get out. My music is about helping and supporting each other. I believe that when we all share what we have, there's enough for everyone to have what they need. That is one of the messages I'm hoping to bring out with A New Song USA.
NEW YORK (February 8, 2023) — Woody Guthrie famously called people hoping machines, and as everyone settles into 2023, Gedalya, known by his fans as the Folk-Rock Rabbi, recalls and recounts that same sentiment in his latest album, This is My World.
“One of Guthrie’s most beloved songs was This Land is Your Land, and I wanted to expand on that idea for the new digital age,” Gedalya said. “His was a message of the power of empathy and hope, and I believe that continuing on that message is more important than ever.”
With the release of This is My World, Gedalya continues to spread messages of unity through his unique blend of folk, rock, and spiritual music.
“Through uplifting lyrics and memorable melodies, I invite listeners to join me in creating a better world for all,” Gedalya said. “Small actions can make a huge difference in the world, and I hope listeners feel empowered to create a better world as they listen to the new album.”
This is My World features eleven tracks that showcase Gedalya's exceptional songwriting skills and ability to connect with his audience. With a mix of upbeat rock songs, introspective ballads, and spiritual anthems, the album is a testament to Gedalya's versatility as an artist.
But throughout, he keeps a focus on a powerful message.
"I believe that music has the power to bring people together and help us heal,” Gedalya said. “With This is My World, I wanted to create a body of work that would inspire and encourage people to put their focus on making a positive difference in their communities."
“Thanks to amazing advancements in technology, we have access to more information and more people than in the history of humanity. The internet has connected us all, creating a time where we have the ability to work together for a better tomorrow. But we have to choose it. I want This is My World to be that invitation to step up and champion the world you want to live in.”
The album also reflects a new approach from the artist.
“Currently, it can be difficult to determine which genre one's music belongs to,” Gedalya said. “In the current musical climate, there are so many new categories, feels, and sounds that everyone is blending and experimenting with to create something creative, new and exciting.”
In an effort to take advantage of that musical climate, he said, with This is My World, he focused on finding his place musically and continued carrying his upbeat messaging.
One day, he sat down and asked himself, "Gedalya, where do you fit in?"
And after he pondered the question, he said an inner voice cried out, "You're a folk singer!" and that inspiration led to the development of the new album.
“When you look around with an open mind and a desire to grow spiritually, you will find so many things to learn,” Gedalya said. “But as reflected in the first track, Look at the World, people have to choose to be there and take advantage of the one and only opportunity we get to experience this life.”
With This World is an Illusion, Gedalya drives the listener to explore the duality of existence and finding the right path. Song for Peace pushes a message of giving to others, and Eyes on Wine, inspired by a verse from The Book of Proverbs, preaches focus.
Those tracks – along with the rest of the album – share the importance of learning to live in a way that benefits the world.
“While you listen to the songs, I hope that you will listen with an open heart and an open mind and that you will find that place within yourself that shares what you're hearing,” Gedalya said.
Songs from This is My World are currently available for purchase for digital play on Gedalya's website as well as on Bandcamp.
Physical copies of the album, along with digital copies of the eleven tracks, can also be found on his website, TheFolkRockRabbi.com. CDs can also be ordered by emailing Gedalya directly at GedalyaMusic@Gmail.com.
NEW YORK (July 10, 2022) — Gedalya, the New York based musician known for his infectious melodies and positive, lyrics is pleased to announce the release of his latest single Needle and Thread.
The song explores the connection between all people and how understanding can bring unity to those that otherwise would face conflict.
“Underneath our different exteriors, we are all connected spiritually,” Gedalya said. “Needle and Thread challenges my listeners to see past what is driving them individually and recognize the similarities that bring us together.”
“Our souls are sewn together with the same needle and thread,” he sings in the chorus in a recognition that the pain and difficulties everyone faces should bring us together instead of tearing people apart.
And he hopes the song can help people achieve that desire.
“Too often, we pursue our needs while viewing the world only through the lens of our personal experiences,” Gedalya said. “But what goes unrecognized is that underneath it all, we are all cut from the same spiritual cloth, and if we accept in our hearts no matter our differences, deep down we share far more than we don’t, we will live more fulfilling and rewarding lives. This song is a recognition and a celebration of what we share.”
The song also fits into the mission of A New Song USA, a not-for-profit organization that promotes music with a positive message. The organization was founded by Gedalya, who serves as director alongside his musical performances and recording.
“With A New Song USA, I want to encourage artists and fans to find the most rewarding parts of their lives and share them with others,” Gedalya said. “The music we promote is a way to do precisely that.”
For more about Gedalya, visit gedalyasings.com.
Dec. 1, 2020 (New York) – Just in time for Hanukkah, Folk-rock singer-songwriter Gedalya has released “The Lesson of the Flame,” a musical reflection of the need for positive spirituality during difficult situations.
“Finding ways to get through hardship is central to religion,” Gedalya said. “And I wanted this song to reflect the powerful combination of faith and positivity.
“It’s my first time writing a holiday song, or even writing a song directly about Judaism, for that matter,” he said. “Even though I wrote the song with the holiday season in mind, it’s about more than just the annual celebration. I wanted to convey the power in continuity and history. This Hanukkah many of us are experiencing a year of tragedies, but by learning from tradition and remaining faithful we can find better times. I tried to reflect that in ‘The Lesson of the Flame.’”
The song speaks directly to the power of positivity, especially during times of tribulation.
“Finding yourself can be a challenge, especially when times are difficult,” Gedalya said. “This year especially I have seen so many struggle with what is happening in the world. I wanted to make sure they heard a positive message for the holiday, but also I wanted anyone that hears the song to feel – deep down – that their situation can also get better. Now is the time to look inward to find the strength to make it to those better times.”
While the song reflects Gedalya’s faith, he said its spiritual message is universal.
“I wanted ‘The Lesson of the Flame’ to speak directly to the listener’s soul,” he said. “But the message of the song is not inherent to a particular faith; rather it speaks to a state of being. It’s a frame of mind that brings light to the dark and the blessings of that kind of a life are tremendous.”
I didn't begin to put music to my words until I was around eighteen. One of my first songs, If I Were Superman really sums up where my head was at as a teen.
When I was twenty-one I drove to NYC from Florida with my first demo tape and began my career in music.
As I grew as a writer and performer I also took time to travel the world.
While on my journey I became an observant Jew. I've seen both sides in my life, the secular and the religious world while maintaining my identity and ability to understand both sides.
I seek to give a bit of insight, inspiration and guidance through my music. Now I'm fifty and still doing what I love to do, learning about life, writing songs and sharing my message.
I'm hoping to build a good relationship with my fans and to share interesting ideas and positive vibes.
Wishing you and yours only good things, Gedalya
To communicate a thought or a feeling from within myself through a song is not an easy thing. Even when a song that took five minutes to write turns out great, it doesn’t mean its creation was simple. It just happened to be that it was its time to come out, but everything that went into its pre-construction and evolution, even behind the scenes, was also part of the process.
The truth is that most of the time I sit down to write, I have no idea what I want to say. It’s through the writing process itself that I become aware of what’s really going on inside of me, and as I keep writing I get more clarity. As a lyric comes together I begin to see where it’s taking me, and try to stay focused and connected to the journey. As the idea becomes realized, choosing the right words becomes crucial to the exact image I am trying to create while expressing the thought. When I’m done, I have hopefully learned something about myself and my outlook through the words I have been guided to write.
Determining the music that will be the right vehicle for these words and will help to convey the idea and become a partner in the transmission of the message, is another undertaking. Sometimes the music comes with the words, but still must be developed to become its own artistic expression. Other times a melody might come into my head without any words and I’ll go through my lyrics to see if I’ve already written something that goes well with the tune. Sometimes the words have to be changed a bit to fit the phrasing, while retaining the essence of the message. Other times I’ll just sit down at the piano or pick up my guitar and start singing as I hit the first chord and a miracle happens. I hardly ever think of the words and music at the same time, although there have been those rare occasions when the sound of the harmony and the idea it evokes comes together with words that make sense and just say it like it sounds.
My musical influences go back a lot further than the Easy Listening music I heard in my home as a child in the early 70’s, the American Top 40 Pop of the late 70’s and early eighties, the hard rock of my teens, and classic rock, which remains my favorite. I believe that deep within me I was born with a connection to a certain sound, a certain rhythm, a beat that I move to; a unique voice that’s right for my specific message with an attitude and outlook that is who I truly am as a soul. I believe that any song that I’ve ever liked has had within it a spiritually familiar element that speaks to my own soul.
To bring out a positive message that I want to share, in a song that sounds good, is moving, enjoyably received, appreciated, and uplifting to another, is what I have been striving for in my journey as an artist. The commitment that I have made to my art is one that is unconditional; whether there is fame and fortune in my future has nothing to do with my mission to create and be true to whom I am and my art.
The more I work on developing my craft the better I become at sharing my message. I have learned a tremendous amount from hearing the music of other artists. Being open to personal change and growth and willingness to explore new ideas and to rewrite has helped me to mature as an artist and to look at all of my songs, even ones that I have already released, as a work in progress. I have no problem changing a tune at a performance or on a future recording if I see a better way to express the idea.
Finding my own sound as a singer/songwriter has been a long road. One of the reasons is that I lost myself as a youth by trying to be someone that I wasn’t, and subsequently had to find myself again. Pursuing an image that I looked up to for the wrong reasons caused me to overlook my true voice and message as an artist. In a sense, finding my own voice was something that coincided with finding myself, and as I become comfortable and happy with who I truly am, I’m finding that I feel more satisfaction and harmony expressing it through my art.
Performing in front of an audience hasn’t been difficult. I mean, I really just sit behind the piano and sing my songs with my eyes closed. I do this not because I’m nervous, but in order to get into the song. I haven’t yet felt my performance has come together. I would like more of my personality to come through at a show. I feel like I have the potential to strongly connect with an audience and to have an unbelievable experience, and I’m looking forward to the day that, with help from heaven, it will all come together.
My first two album releases, With Help from Heaven and Son of Israel are collections of piano and vocal tracks. With my latest release Man of Faith, I have begun working with producer Craig Levy of Little Pioneer studios in Soho, who has helped me to begin adding some layers to my sound.
Finding a balance between writing, practicing new material as well as the old, booking and promoting gigs, recording, working on my on-line presence and social media, marketing and advertising etc… isn’t easy. It’s a blessing to have a wife and children who are supportive of my endeavors.
Wishing you only good things,
Gedalya
