Jazz trumpeter, vocalist and bandleader Joe Gransden would seem to have it all – he’s played at the White House, Jazz at Lincoln Center, collaborated with Kenny G and performed for Clint Eastwood.
But for 30 years, there was a hole in his life, a hole that was the shape of a four-speed 1979 Firebird Trans Am. Young Joe got the car of his dreams as a 17-year-old, until he was forced to sell it.
Thirty years later, after sharing the story of his car with his kid and finding encouragement to chase after it in the least likely of places, Gransden hired a private investigator, took a deep dive into the Trans Am forums, and miraculously tracked down the vehicular love of his life.
After finally receiving the completely rebuilt vehicle from a body shop in Florida that specializes in Trans Ams, he’s ready to share his story! Gransden joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to explore his wild ride about finally finding that needle in a haystack.
Gransden will be playin on Oct. 18 at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center as part of their “Jazz on the Lawn” series. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the series, which kicks off Aug. 23 with Karla Harris and The Joe Alterman Trio.
