INTERVIEWED BY "THE NIGHT RIDER" Bruce Hodges 98.1 FM Radio An Awsome Man! Jeremy Wayne Willey was born and raised in the desert countryside of southern New Mexico. He, along with his younger sister and brother, Amanda and Tanner, grew up about 20 miles outside the small town of Deming. With town being so far away, and the nearest neighbor being at least a mile from their home, the three children were often forced to amuse themselves. Thus, the three siblings spent much of their time playing together out of doors, where there was ample opportunity for the three to keep each other entertained. For both Jeremy and Tanner, team roping was a favorite activity. The two brothers honed their roping skills by lassoing anything and everything they could, including tree stumps, cats, dogs, and their unsuspecting sister. When the New Mexican sun became too hot, however, the three kids would retreat indoors and pursue another pastime: singing. Jeremy loved to turn on the radio and imagine that he was Conway Twitty, George Strait, Keith Whitley or the lead singer of REO Speedwagon. Amanda sang backup for him while Tanner cheered them both on. Yet for Jeremy, this childhood game soon turned into a personal passion. He continued to sing and even began to write his own music, composing his first song, “Did I Take Your Love For Granted,” at the tender age of 16. He also began to learn the ins and outs of guitar playing. Although music stayed in his heart as he got older, Jeremy turned his attentions to family matters after he married Stacey Israel, then had two children, daughter Victoria and son Colben. Jeremy stayed in New Mexico where he worked for an oil company during the day and often times at night to support his family. In his leisure time, Jeremy continued to team-rope with his little brother at roping events as well as to practice his melodic talents. Jeremy grew bored with New Mexico and the oil industry and decided to take his chances in the music business. In the spring of 2002, he, along with his wife Stacey, took a trip to the beating heart of country music, Nashville, Tennessee. The couple scouted out the local talent and concluded that Jeremy could be quite competitive in the music industry. Shortly after returning home, the two began to scrimp and save each penny in order to move their family to Tennessee. After only three months, their prayers had been answered. Jeremy, Stacey, Victoria and Colben kissed their extended family goodbye and relocated to Nashville. Since that time, Jeremy, with the help of his family, has been pursuing his musical ambitions. Today, Jeremy enjoys hobnobbing with the stars of country music. He also participates in writers’ nights and open mics where he sings his original songs, which he writes with the help of his wife Stacey. Even his children have jumped on the bandwagon. Victoria loves to sing backup for her dad while Colben gets a kick out of jamming on his guitar. For Jeremy, it is a dream come true. This song is called "Your Still Here" Written by Steven Judkins and Myself.. I hope you enjoy