About Jay Bragg
The Happy Music Specialist
Nashville-based, New England-raised singer-songwriter Jay Bragg and his family have celebrated American music on stage for nearly a century. A third-generation vaudevillian known as The Wizard of Whimsy, Bragg has written hundreds of songs and delivered over 4,000 performances nationwide. With masterful command of vintage Americana—countr
Nashville-based, New England-raised singer-songwriter Jay Bragg and his family have celebrated American music on stage for nearly a century. A third-generation vaudevillian known as The Wizard of Whimsy, Bragg has written hundreds of songs and delivered over 4,000 performances nationwide. With masterful command of vintage Americana—country, rock, jazz, and rhythm & blues—he delights audiences through encyclopedic musical knowledge, witty storytelling, and carefully curated American song honoring our multicultural entertainment heritage.
The best origin stories begin before birth. While pregnant with Jay, his mother placed headphones from the mixing board on her stomach during his father's gospel band performances, allowing the future entertainer to absorb the vibrations of Black spiritual traditions before he drew breath. This prenatal connection to gospel, blues, and soul music—combined with his vaudeville grandparents' teachings that true magic happens when artistry meets community—created a cellular-level understanding of American entertainment's authentic multicultural roots. Jay inherited not just talent, but mission: preserving the sophisticated variety traditions his grandparents mastered while proving they can still serve contemporary audiences seeking genuine connection.
From intimate acoustic performances to high-octane honky tonk revues to his New Vaudeville variety experiences and revival of the singing telegram tradition, Bragg serves as one of the few living bridges to America's rich entertainment history. His work has earned Nashville validation through collaborations with Alan Jackson and Chris Stapleton, 13 studio albums, and critical acclaim from Saving Country Music. But his deepest commitment remains honoring his father's wish during cancer treatment: "Carry the torch. Keep bringing joy to people who need it most"—a promise Jay fulfills through regular hospice performances and his lifelong dedication to entertainment as healing, community-building cultural medicine.