Bruce Connole was born in Chicago, IL and moved to Arizona when he was 3. As a young teen he ran away from home many times, making it difficult to complete high school. He dropped out his sophomore year and focused all of his attention on music.
A prolific songwriter, Connole is widely considered one of Arizona’s best. He has written in a variety of styles including Punk, New Wave, Alternative, Grunge, Bluegrass and Country. As a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Connole first received acclaim for his work with the Valley’s ground breaking Punk Rock outfit Billy Clone and the Same. After the demise of Billy Clone, Connole formed the New Wave band The Jetzons. He was a major influence on the “Mill Avenue Sound” that catapulted acts like Gin Blossoms and The Refreshments into the national spotlight. Gin Blossoms lead vocalist Robin Wilson famously said, “Far and away, The Jetzons were the most important band out of Tempe, AZ in the 1980’s. Just to be considered in the same breath as them was better than selling a million records.”
He followed The Jetzons with Alt Pop band The Strand, and Grunge outfit The Cryptics. He then made a musical about-face and dove deep into Country and Bluegrass with his bands The Pearl Chuckers, Busted Hearts, The Revenants, and Suicide Kings. Connole wrote and recorded prolifically with all of his musical incarnations. He’s also recorded two solo albums for Fervor Records.
It seemed that Connole was never concerned with commercial success and was more in tune with being true to the music. Speaking with Phoenix New Times he said, “None of the kinds of music I’ve ever written or played have been marketing moves. I’ve been sincere about all of them.” This is why Connole’s work has always been both genuine and heartfelt, choosing substance over success. This is why his songs and recordings have finally resonated with international audiences in countless films and TV shows.
