Biography

---

The Jeff Skorik Saturday Night Spotlight is a freewheeling radio program hosted by the seasoned Nashville-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeff Skorik, airing on the legendary WROX Radio from Clarksdale, Mississippi—the cradle of Delta blues. Debuting on April 5, 2025, as "Show #1"at 10:00 PM CST, the program has since settled into its groove as a weekly ritual for music aficionados, broadcasting live every Saturday at 9:00 PM CST, followed by an encore presentation Sundays at 8:00 PM CST. Broadcast on WROX's 97.5 FM and 1450 AM frequencies, it's also available via online streams and the station's app, extending its reach far beyond the Delta.

Embracing a delightfully anarchic ethos encapsulated in its sole mantra—"No rules!"—the show eschews rigid formats in favor of immersive, passion-driven explorations of rock, blues, Americana, and beyond. Each episode spotlights a marquee artist, band, songwriter, or album, weaving together deep cuts, hits, and rarities with Skorik's wry anecdotes, industry insights, and unpretentious enthusiasm honed from his own four-decade career in music. Listeners have tuned in for tributes to heavy metal titan Ozzy Osbourne, dissecting his solo catalog and Black Sabbath roots; album deep dives like Jethro Tull's prog-rock masterpiece "Aqualung"  

Skorik's hosting style—raw, relatable, and rooted in his Midwestern-bred blue-collar ethos—transforms the hour into a virtual backstage pass, fostering a sense of camaraderie amid the airwaves.
Born from Skorik's desire to amplify the voices and stories of music's unsung heroes and enduring legends, Saturday Night Spotlight  reflects his lifelong commitment to authentic expression, much like his solo albums that tackle love, loss, and resilience. By November 2025, after more than seven months on air, the show has cultivated a devoted following.

As WROX's flagship late-night offering, it not only honors the station's blues heritage but also carves out a fresh space for eclectic rock 'n' roll reverie, proving that in Skorik's world, the best spotlights shine brightest without a script.

Jeff Skorik is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music blends blue-collar pop, slacker rock 'n' roll, and Americana, often exploring themes of everyday struggles, self-reflection, and heartfelt romance. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the youngest of four brothers in a third-generation Czechoslovakian-American family, Skorik showed an early flair for performance. At age 10, performing under the stage name Nick James, he won a local "Gong Show"-style talent contest at a bowling alley, earning a medal and a bottle of champagne for an original song on guitar.

In the mid-1980s, Skorik formed the band Ambush with his older triplet brothers—John on bass, Jim on drums, and Chris on keyboards—honing their craft in Milwaukee bars for five years. Describing their sound as straightforward pop rock 'n' roll with catchy hooks and love-lost laments reminiscent of Journey, Boston, and early John Cougar, the group built a local following.

In 1989, they caught the ear of legendary promoter Sid Bernstein (who had booked The Beatles at Shea Stadium), leading to a management deal in 1990. The band rebranded as Skorik for global appeal and generated buzz with full-page ads in 'The New York Times' and 'Billboard', touting ambitious plans for Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden gigs. Though no major record deal materialized amid mixed industry skepticism, the exposure marked a pivotal launchpad for Skorik's career.

By the early 1990s, Skorik shifted gears, venturing east to New York City for a brief stint.   Seeking broader horizons, he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee where he formed the acclaimed power pop trio The Excuses. Around the late 2000s,  he immersed himself in the city's vibrant songwriting scene.

His non-conformist approach to music and the industry—prioritizing raw, therapeutic expression over commercial polish—defined his solo path. Critics like Peter Cooper of 'The Tennessean' praised him as the embodiment of untapped talent lurking in Nashville's everyday haunts, far from Music Row's gloss.

Skorik's solo debut, 'Another Day Down' (2000), earned rave reviews for its honest, midwestern-rooted introspection. He followed with 'Love Song' (2006), a collection of Americana-tinged tracks like the title song and "Jealousy," delving into relational vulnerabilities.

Sustained by a grassroots ethos, Skorik continued releasing albums that capture life's raw edges: 'Live. Love. Hurt. Heal.' (2013),  'One More Round'(2019); 'Demolition' (2022); and his most recent, 'American Heart'(2023), featuring tracks like "Love Someone" and "Don't Fall in Love With a Broken Man."

Still based in Nashville,  Skorik remains a steadfast figure in indie Americana, his catalog a testament to resilience and unfiltered storytelling.