Jay Gladden was born into music. With a family full of musicians, stagehands, and sound techs going back generations, Jay caught the bug early watching his uncle play bass and listening to whatever records, CDs, and tapes he could get his hands on. He began playing music in earnest by 1993 on an upright bass in his 6th grade strings orchestra. His curiosity turned into commitment when he joined his first band right out of high school playing southern and classic rock with Southbound, which eventually evolved into Crobar Cane in 2005.

Over the years, Jay has been involved in a variety of bands, expanding his sound by exploring different flavors of the rock and roll which inspired him. Notable projects include (but are not limited to) blues-rock influenced Stadanko, GOTE which began in 2015 as an acoustic rock band, heavier War Chile with a power blues energy, and western swing infused Leonard Blush and the Camelcals. Each chapter added new experience, perspective, and depth—whether through touring, recording, or collaborating with other musicians along the way.