The Road Not Taken - Jack T. Leyton (Lyricist) Ep. 34

Jack T. Leyton has been a lot of things in his life: an Air Force serviceman, a set-construction worker for motion pictures, a postal carrier, a delivery driver, he even attended multiple acting schools for a time. But none of these actually describe who Jack is at heart: a writer, wordsmith, poet and hopeless romantic.

 

This episode offers an intimate conversation with Jack T. Leyton, shedding light on his diverse creative life as a writer and poet. The discussion showcases Leyton's most beloved music and poetry, his time working at Burbank Studios, his musical aspirations, and the deep influence of his military service in the Vietnam War. Leyton shares profound insights on the role of art in society and his personal experiences, including the impact of heartbreak on his work, living in his car, and his travels across Europe. There is also a critical exploration of societal pressures, personal inhibitions, and the need for creativity in shaping his life and art. Moreover, Leyton voices concerns about society's trajectory, particularly through poems like 'The Last Generation on Earth'. The conversation wraps up on a poignant note, exploring themes of love, passion, regret, and the unique challenges of a writer's life.

 

We delve into a pivotal moment in Jack's artistic journey, marked by a daring decision in 2018 to transform a manageable fraction of his vast collection of lyrics and melodies into a tangible musical legacy. This endeavor, fueled by a yearning to bring his creative visions to life, almost faced a halt due to a life-threatening heart attack. Fortunately after he recovered, he and Steve were able to put together a remarkable assembly of talent in Burbank, California, where eight session musicians and five singers, amidst a flurry of cameras, breathed life into Leyton's compositions. The session culminated in 'The Clearlake Sessions,' an album that notably features the showstopping vocal group The Satin Dollz on 'Sparky’s Burgers' — a spirited homage to the 1940s-50s era, echoing the essence of The Andrews Sisters.

Jack and Steve note the difficulty inherent in bringing musical visions to life when one relies on others for expression — a reality Jack faces, being a lyricist without the ability to play an instrument, and Steve shares about how he only recently overcame his difficulty expressing himself through lyrics. On the importance of writing, Jack discovered a vital avenue for expression in poetry circles. Reflecting on the fundamental drive that propels their artistic pursuits, Jack encapsulates this shared sentiment with poignant clarity: “We do this because we can’t not write.”

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Guest Jack T. Leyton

Website: http://www.jaxsongs.com/
The Clearlake Sessions https://jaxsongs.bandcamp.com/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thesoundtrackofmydreams

I Create Sound Artist Creative Services
https://icreatesound.com/

Episode References

Burt Lancaster - Wikipedia link

Richard Widmark - Wikipedia link

Chris Elchico - episode 9 link, Boston Symphony members link

The Satin Dollz - Official website
The Andrews Sisters - Wikipedia link
Alan Kaplan trombonist - Official website
Bob’s Big Boy - history

The Draft and Vietnam - myretrospect.com
Borders Books, Thousand Oaks - Conejo Valley Guide link
David Allen Foster poet - Official website

Mike Frankovich, producer - Wikipedia link
John Ford - IMDB link
Winning (racing movie with Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Robert Wagner) - IMDB link
Runaway Production - Wikipedia link

“We Were Once” music video - YouTube link
“Longings” music video - YouTube link

Budapest, Hungary - Wikipedia link

The Realms of Mindrin board game - Kickstarter link
Demotivational Posters (despair.com)

The “Gore” Point, impact barriers -  Wikipedia link
PBS | FRONTLINE: The Power Of Big Oil - pbs.org
Jim Jeffrey - Official website
Greenpeace - greenpeace.org/usa
The Last Generation on Earth music video - earthsongs.world

“Gateway of Heartache” song - Apple Music

Episode Credits

Honor and Glory Sound Effects by Harshit Khoja at Vrinda Media Lab -

https://www.vrindamedialab.com/ - Directed by Steven Leavitt

Editorial support by Sam Levine

About the Host

Language of Creativity’s host Steven Leavitt enjoys discussing the ins and outs of all aspects of creating, creativity, and life with his fellow creators: artists, inventors, designers, producers and more. Along the way he hopes to gain perspective and multiply our understanding of what we share in common while creating, living, and learning.

Personal website and music portfolio - StevenLeavitt.com
Music and media production company, creative consulting - I Create Sound

Featured Art

“Sparky’s Burgers” (song), "Honor And Glory" (poem), "Eek!" (poem title), "This Lovely Home" (first poem by Jack T. Leyton, 1967), “You Are Gone Instrumental Reverie” (song), "405" (song demonstration), "A Taste of Seduction" (poem, dedicated to David Allen Foster), "Oh, Ziegfeld!" (song lyric), “Longings'' (song), “We Were Once” (song, duet featuring Desiree De La O-Marr), “Last Generation On Earth” (song, written by Jack T. Leyton and Jim Jeffrey), “Judgment Day Will Be Friday” (poem), “It Didn’t Go Well” (poem), “A Time to Write” (poem), “Gateway of Heartache” (song)

All songs and poetry used courtesy of Jack T. Leyton and Solemint Publishing

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Tags:
#writing #lyrics #songwriting #crooner #karaoke #postmodernjukebox #Sinatra #TonyBennett #Jazz #war #airforce #Vietnam #TheDuke #JohnWayne #BurbankStudios #The Valley #JohnnyCarson #BobsBigBoy #MontyPythonsFlyingCircus #FlorenzZiegfeld #ZoeyDeschanel #Doomsday #pinkfloyd #ledzepplin #JohnCleese #MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail #purityculture #zodiac #birthorder #GroundhogsDay #divorce #playingittoosafe #regret #GreenPeace #globalwarming #reiki #homelessness #StChristophersmedal #NatKingCole #Frank Sinatra #DeanMartin