Jerome Grey
(Entertainer,
Singer, Lyricist, Composer) 
Born March 23, 1947 to parents Fa’anana H. Grey and Toeasonaimoamoa, at Malifa. He attended Marist Brothers School at Mulivai, after then to Chanel College 1962 and spent his upper fifth at Samoa College.
His passion for music was seen through his early years, always carrying his guitar to school, taking part at talent quests and entertaining on the streets of Apia. His first job as a translator at the Fono at Mulinuu did not last but he took the Lady Sulimoni to Tutuila and got his first job entertaining at the Intercontinental Hotel in 1966, during which he wrote and recorded, O Le Olaga O Samoa.
1970 became the year for the break he prayed for, when Pete Syracuse, an entrepreneur from Newport Beach, California offered Jerome a contract to sing in the mainland. There, in 1971, he took his first vocal training in Beverly Hills under the direction of Roger Wolfe who was credited for coaching celebrities like the late Dean Martin and Tony Bennett.
In 1973 he formed a trio called the Samoa Three. They were the first Samoan entertainers to play in the elite circuit of Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Reno, The Hilton, Sheraton circuit, where they played as opening acts for Perry Como, Fats Domino, and John Wayne. Jerome’s versatility as a cabaret entertainer expanded from island music to Latino, Calypso, jazz, country and his impersonations of the great Louis Armstrong, and Nat Cole are still a crowd pleaser.
In 1977, Jerome resided in American Samoa with his wife Emily and raised his kids, while playing at his father-in-law’s restaurant, Soli’s. At that time, he began focusing more on writing and arranging Samoan music as he did with palagi music. That was when he started writing tunes like Eleni, Naunau I Le Ufi Ae Fefe I Le Papa, Siamani, Oute Ofo Siaula e I Lou Le Fiu, Sei Oriana, and then came We Are Samoa, the song for which Jerome and his group Ava were invited to perform in the United States Congress, and the White House during the presidency of Jim Carter.
From the Sasakawa Peace Conference in Tokyo, the World’s Fair in Canada, with the original Manu Samoa in Europe1989, where he wrote the theme for the Manu Samoa, a memorable performance before the All Blacks vs. Manu Samoa at Eden Park, not counting numerous performances in New Zealand promoting Samoa, Jerome never ceased to amaze his fans at home with his talent and energy.
From Jerome’s Cove at Matautu, to Hawaii in 1989, the year of Sweet Lady of Waiahole, featuring songs like Polynesia is Home (Theme of the first Miss South Pacific Pageant, which he founded), Pelega, All My Ex’s, Down the Vaisigano, Lota Nu’u, Vaimea, and many more to the newest release, Footprints, which includes originals like Salamasina, Ha He, Lo’u Tau’au E Te Mapu Ai and the unique recording Live In L.A., Jerome was able to show his versatility in composition, music arrangement, vocal talent and live comedy.
“Now that I’m in my golden years, music of old Samoa becomes very important, and I am starting on a project called ‘Preserving The Old’, where I am setting out to compile old chants and music of Samoa and preserving them for generations to come before I retire.”
Jerome Grey celebrated his fifty first birthday with a Tatau (tattoo), signifying, that anything is possible if you set your mind to it, as with his music.
In the village of Fogapoa he holds the title Fepulea’i, in Satupaitea he is Fa’anana, and in Lauli’i, he is Fuamatu and still the name Jerome Grey is a living legend, and a household name to the Samoans.
Jerome Grey certainly has made a significant contribution to the Samoan music, and as an icon, his influences can still be heard from the early days of AVA to the contemporary music played on radio daily.
Jerome Grey is preparing to go into e-commerce with a site which will promote and sell his unique Samoan music.Look out for this site in the next few months.