Jeff Edelman, keyboardist and vocalist for Wither, found his love for metal through Iron Maiden’s Seventh Son of a Seventh Son — a record that still holds a special place in his creative DNA. His early musical world revolved around bands like Maiden, Tool, and Pink Floyd, whose layered storytelling and emotional depth would later become guiding forces in his own songwriting.

But Jeff’s process is anything but typical. Songs don’t emerge from hours of writing or tweaking knobs — they arrive fully formed, beamed into his brain like transmissions. “I have songs beamed into my head in real time,” he says. “Music and lyrics at the same time.” When that happens, he scrambles to capture what he can: singing melodies, mimicking drums, voicing basslines — anything to keep the moment alive before it fades. The result is raw, emotionally intuitive, and often inspired. And when it’s time to bring those ideas to Wither, he keeps the door open. “I’ll present the chord structure and lyrics with some keyboard parts, and just leave the rest pretty wide open so everyone can put their own mark on it."

He also has a flair for the experimental. On Wither’s track Theme of Circles, he once sang a layered chorus into a microphone while wearing a giant metal bucket on his head — just to get the right chanting effect. The final sound ended up being eerie, immersive, and perfect. “We kept it,” he says with a laugh.

Playing in Wither isn’t just a passion — it’s a lifeline. “I think I would wither and die if I did not have a musical escape,” he says. “And go mad with all the tunes in my head.” For Jeff, music is how he stays grounded, and Wither is where that energy finds form. He gravitates toward themes of hope and light within darkness — an emotional contrast that mirrors the dynamic of the band itself.

When it’s time to perform, there’s no ritual or warm-up routine. “I hold on for dear life and hope for the best,” he says. “Though a shot of Grand Marnier before a show is a fine thing if it can be found.” He also swears by in-ear monitors for singers — something he wishes he had tried years ago.

Born and raised in Escondido, Jeff’s musical beginnings trace back to jam sessions with his friend Micah in high school. At the same time, his older brother Keith was playing in a doom metal band called Obsidian. Seeing Keith perform left an impression: “I thought, that’s fucking powerful, and awesome, and looks fun.” That inspiration eventually led Jeff to start learning Led Zeppelin riffs and writing his own music. One day, Keith overheard him and Micah playing an original piece and invited them to jam. Obsidian had ended, and that session was the spark that would eventually become Wither.

Outside of the band, Jeff is a builder at heart. He’s spent years in construction — working with his hands, managing crews, and shaping tangible things from raw material. But he left that behind to pursue something even more fantastical: full-time professional game mastering. Jeff now runs Dungeons & Dragons campaigns 5–6 times a week — a passion that ties directly back into his love for storytelling and creating immersive worlds.

Though introverted by nature, Jeff’s performances are anything but reserved. One of his most unforgettable moments on stage came at the Whisky a Go Go, when, during the final song, he jumped off the drum riser — only to narrowly dodge his brother Keith’s guitar, which was mid-spin in the air. “Somehow I ducked it,” he recalls. “That would have landed me in the hospital. The gods of rock were with me that night.”

His love of Lovecraft, emotional music like The Cure and Pink Floyd, and his deep appreciation for quiet introspection give Jeff a unique creative voice in the band. His message to fans?

“It is truly amazing to relate to others through music. Thank you for being you and appreciating what we do. You really give the whole thing a point that would be lost without you.”

His favorite lyric from a Wither song reflects his outlook on life and art:

 "Clear the space for the task at hand, to leave in the past, all the pain that has frozen us shut, let no shadows be cast, on the celebration. With faith in the days to come, the shadows will be cast away."

As for what makes Wither different?

 “We make choices slowly, take our time to make things right, and never ever die.”

And when asked which show meant the most, Jeff doesn’t pick just one:

 “Each one means the most to me.”