He has been on television, toured with Hilary Duff, has been compared to a 10-years-younger version of John Mayer and his album hasn’t even hit stores yet.
John Theodore Geiger II, better known as Teddy, is a 17-year-old singer/songwriter from Rochester, N.Y. Geiger began writing songs in his basement and playing the guitar when he was only eight years old. He began playing piano when he was even younger.
“I was always drawn to (music),” Geiger tells The Chronicle, prior to his album’s release last Tuesday.
Geiger was in several bands during his years at an all-boy high school in Rochester, but he was not discovered until he auditioned for VH1’s “In Search of the New Partridge Family” with producer/songwriter Billy Mann. Although Geiger did not snag the role of Keith Partridge, he did land a recording contract with Columbia Records. He also had a recurring role as character Wayne on the TV show “Love Monkey,” starring Tom Cavanaugh and Jason Priestley. The show about four male friends at different stages of life and love told by a single, thirty-something record executive debuted Jan. 17 of this year, but, according to Geiger, the show has since been cancelled. When asked if he would rather focus on acting or singing, if not both, Geiger responds: “I’m sticking to music.”
Geiger’s debut album, “Underage Thinking” backed by Columbia Records, hit stores March 21. Geiger says he named the album because he is underage, and he wrote the songs based on stuff that happened in his life. The first single, “For You I Will (Confidence)” is currently in rotation on New Haven’s Top 40 radio station KC101, and the music video for the song features Kristin Cavallari from MTV’s “Laguna Beach.”
The soft-spoken teen has been named one of Billboard Magazine’s “Who’s Hot in 2006,” and was highlighted in Teen People’s “What’s Next” January 2006 issue. This positive recognition along with opening for Hilary Duff last summer on her Still Most Wanted arena tour has given Geiger a devoted fan base, affectionately dubbed “Tedheads.”
“It’s very interesting and kind of weird,” Geiger says of his newfound fame.
To help promote his first album, Geiger is currently headlining his own small club tour, a major change from the arenas he performed for last summer. The performer counted Hartford among his recent tour stops when he headlined a sold-out concert at the Webster Underground with underground band Fatal Cure.
With so much acting and performing already under his belt, along with headlining a tour and releasing his first album, where will Geiger go from here?
“I definitely want to keep writing and producing some stuff, and put out another album when the time is right,” he said.
