JD Eicher

Early life

Eicher played guitar since age 12, and after graduating from Canfield High School, he majored in music and business, earning a Bachelor of Science degree at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Eicher cites as influences bands known for their lyrics ranging from Jackson Brown and The Beatles to Death Cab for Cutie.

Career

While at Westminster College, Eicher formed JD Eicher and the Goodnights, and the band underwent several line-up changes over the next few years. Eicher's current band is composed of Jim Merhaut (bass), Ben Portz (keyboards), and Dylan Kollat (drums/percussion).

At college and after, the group performed concerts, and did shows at nightclubs and festivals across the U.S. Eicher, along with his group, recorded and released a trilogy of albums, The Shape of Things (2009), Shifting (2011), and Into Place (2013). The titles when combined read "The Shape of Things Shifting Into Place," and the themes tie into each other. Explains Eicher: “Each installment has its own theme that ties into an overarching concept. The Shape of Things theme was life’s ·cyclicality; Shifting was a tumultuous, introspective journey through change, represented by the album’s shifting genres, musical motifs, and lyrical themes; and Into Place’s poise represents a coming of age, comfort in who you are."

JD Eicher and the Goodnights were selected as one of the top 10 unsigned bands of 2011 by Alternative Addiction magazine. The following year, Eicher signed to Rock Ridge Music, home to Steve Forbert, Sister Hazel, Reel Big Fish, among others, for a record and management deal.

For his 2016 album release, The Middle Distance, Eicher maintained the same musical personnel, however he dropped "the Goodnights" from the name of the band. Although Shifting was recorded in Bethesda, Maryland, and Into Place was recorded in Nashville, he opted to record The Middle Distance in the basement of his home in Ohio. “Although pretty and poppy and flowing, the songs are best enjoyed by people who like carefully drawn lyrics,” said the Pittsburg Post Gazette

In 2016, Eicher provided an EP soundtrack to Nicholas Spark's 20th novel called Two by Two. The EP features the original song, "Two by Two," as well as “Not Afraid” (re-recorded from The Middle Distance), “Love Is Gonna Find You” (remastered from Shifting), and “The Last Love Song” (remastered from Into Place).

Sparks and Eicher completed a series of United States' bookstore appearances, the former signing theTwo By Two book, the latter performing a couple of songs from the EP.

In addition to the Sparks’ partnership, Eicher’s song, "Level Out," was used as promotion for Virgin America Airlines. Olive Garden used his song "Aaron" for a national ad.

As a solo artist and with the Goodnights, Eicher has opened for Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, Hot Chelle Rae, Pete Yorn, Anberlin, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, Maroon 5, Sister Hazel, Kelly Clarkson, Matt Nathanson, Train, Cartel, and Matt White, and others.

Eicher performed on a music cruise on the Norwegian Pearl ship called the Rock Boat in 2014 and 2016. He is set to perform again on The Rock Boat in 2017.

Discography