Jay Semko

Music Composer, Songwriter, Performer. Jay was born and raised in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, spending his first 11 years living on a farm. His mother is Sherrill Semko and his father is Peter Semko. Jay attended Evan Hardy High School in Saskatoon Saskatchewan from 1973- 1977 and is now featured in the Hall of Fame at Evan Hardy High School. Jay's debut and breakthrough as a music composer was "Due South" working under Paul Haggis. Jay Semko is an award-winning songwriter and composer. He is known worldwide as music composer on the internationally syndicated TV series, "Due South" (1994) created by (Academy Award winner) Paul Haggis (for which Jay received two nominations for Canada's Gemini Awards - Best Music Score in a Dramatic Series) and has won the MMPIA Blizzard and SMPIA awards for Best Music Score as music composer for the movie, "Paris Or Somewhere" (1994). Jay has composed music for many other dramas and documentary series on Discovery Channel, CBC, Global, APTN, Showcase, and others, and has had many of his songs and compositions featured in film and television (Trailer Park Boys - the Movie (2006) Mike Clattenburg (director/writer/screenplay) and Rob Wells (writer/screenplay) "Men With Brooms" (2002) Paul Gross and "Being Erica" (2009) are some recent examples). As a member of the Northern Pikes, Jay was awarded 4 Gold records and 1 Platinum, with sales of over 700,000 units worldwide. The Northern Pikes had a number of Canadian hit singles, including Teenland, Things I Do for Money, Wait For Me, Hopes Go Astray, She Ain't Pretty, Girl With A Problem, and Kiss Me You Fool. Two of these (Things I Do For Money and She Ain't Pretty) charted in the USA Billboard charts, and many of the band's videos were top 5 on Muchmusic, including Girl With A Problem, which reached #1. The band received 8 Juno award nominations, and Jay received two Canadian Music Publishers Association Awards, for Teenland and Girl With A Problem. In addition, Jay has worked as a producer and co-writer with many other recording artists worldwide, and has recorded and released nine solo albums, firmly establishing him as one of Canada's premiere songwriters * in 2009 Jay was a finalist in the Gospel/Inspirational Category of the internationally acclaimed John Lennon Songwriting Contest for "Jesus Is Gonna Help Me"; in 2011 was nominated as Songwriter of the Year in the Western Canadian Music Awards for "Before You Leave Canada"; in 2012 won the SCMA Award for Roots Album of the Year ("Force of Horses"), was nominated in the international Independent Music Awards Gospel Song category for "Drop You In The Water", was nominated for Best Solo Roots Recording for "Sending Love" in the Western Canadian Music Awards, and was inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame with his former band mates in the Northern Pikes. Jay also is an accomplished voiceover artist, with his voice being heard on radio and television advertisements, public service announcements, documentaries, and dramas, and has written numerous music and music business related articles for various Canadian publications. Jay has also instructed songwriting courses and hosted songwriting workshops and seminars through the University of Saskatchewan, Songwriters Association of Canada, SOCAN and private clients.