About

About Me

Jacob Benjamin Fite is an award-winning musician from western Ohio. The multi-talented artist plays numerous instruments, including piano, drums, and guitar.

He is best known for his work as a session musician. He has also toured extensively with numerous highly successful bands. That includes Ohio, the rest of the U.S., and overseas. Fite has worked on hundreds of musical projects in North America, Central and South America, and Europe.

A graduate of Ohio University and the University of Oklahoma, Fite is a member of numerous prestigious musical associations. Examples include the American Federation of Musicians and the Artist Rights Alliance. During more than 20 years in the business, the artist has won a variety of awards for both his studio and live work.

Renowned for his musical prowess, both within and outside his work, he is a keen supporter of various good causes. Closely involved with an ever-growing number of charities, Fite has also worked extensively with veterans seeking to learn music. Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, he resides in the city with his wife and their two young children.

Current role and duties

Fite serves as a session musician, touring pianist, drummer, and guitarist. Self-employed, he has previously worked as an artist and repertoire representative. In addition to his session and tour work and utilizing his A&R background, he is also a go-to source of emerging and promising new musical talent.

In this capacity, he regularly works with several record labels and music publishers nationwide.

Working from his home office in Dayton, Ohio, Fite also collaborates closely with other artists and repertoire representatives. It is these fellow professionals that the musician relies upon to meet the demand of record labels and music publishers while he is on the road and overseas touring.

Educational background

Buckeye State native Fite is a graduate of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He holds a degree in music performance from Ohio University's School of Music.

After finishing his studies at Ohio University, Fite completed a bachelor's degree in music education at the University of Oklahoma. Following graduation and two years of hands-on music industry experience, he returned to the institution's School of Music to complete a doctoral academic degree in musical arts.

The university's bachelor's degree in music education and its doctoral academic degree in musical arts are accredited by several nationally renowned professional organizations. Fite also undertook a minor in jazz studies back at Ohio University in Athens before starting his decades-long music industry career.

Professional skills

As a veteran of more than two decades in the music business, Jacob Benjamin Fite is well-versed in all facets of the industry. With both managerial and hands-on experience, his list of professional skills is as long as it is varied. Among the highlights are the following:

Unrivaled work ethic

Hands-on studio experience

Excellent communication skills

Experience touring with big-name bands

Demonstrated decision-making abilities

Unsurpassed industry knowledge

Proven A&R expertise

He also holds several all-important music industry certifications and association memberships, including as a part of the American Federation of Musicians, the Americana Music Association, and the Artist Rights Alliance.

Music industry certifications and association memberships

Musician Fite holds several up-to-date association memberships as a session artist and touring musician. The former A&R representative's most influential industry associations are memberships to the American Federation of Musicians and the Artist Rights Alliance.

In addition to holding memberships with the American Federation of Musicians and the Artist Rights Alliance, Fite is also recognized as a part of the Americana Music Association.

American Federation of Musicians

The American Federation of Musicians represents professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in New York City, the association is led by president and professional musician Raymond M. Hair Jr.

Artist Rights Alliance

The Artist Rights Alliance is a nonprofit, artist-run organization advocating for music creators for fair compensation in the digital realm. The organization is committed to defending and protecting artists, guided by its bill of rights.

Americana Music Association

The Americana Music Association is a nonprofit trade organization advocating for American musicians worldwide. Its network of artists, radio stations, record labels, and publishers exists to boost American musicians' visibility and economic viability.

Philanthropy and charitable involvement

With more than 20 years in the industry, Jacob Benjamin Fite has worked closely with various music-focused charities and nonprofit organizations. These charities and nonprofits are Education Through Music, Hungry For Music, the Jazz Foundation of America, Little Kids Rock, MusiCares, and The Roots of Music.

He has also worked closely with initiatives focused on helping military veterans develop valuable musical skills following the completion of their service. Outside of his professional endeavors, the award-winning musician is a longstanding supporter of other good causes. Examples of other good reasons backed by the philanthropic music industry veteran include:

Crayons to Classrooms

Feeding America

Habitat for Humanity International

Ohio Animal Foundation

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

United Way Worldwide

Elsewhere, Fite and his family routinely donate to several local food banks and homeless shelters. For the last ten years, they have gifted turkeys and other festive trimmings to numerous food banks and homeless charities across western Ohio during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Personal interests and hobbies

Father-of-two Jacob Benjamin Fite is an avid gym-goer and professional sports fan. The Dayton, Ohio-based musician's favorite sports teams are the Cleveland Guardians, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Ohio Bobcats.

The music industry veteran is similarly passionate about classic cars. He has a particular love of American muscle cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Fite has owned more than half-a-dozen examples of such vehicles, including a Buick GSX, a Chevrolet Camaro Z28, and a Ford Mustang Boss 302. He has also briefly owned a Plymouth Road Runner and a Pontiac Firebird 400 Coupe.

Fite is a lifelong dog lover and owner who enjoys spending time with his two golden retrievers. Together, he and his family regularly take long walks with their dogs in scenic surroundings close to their home in the suburbs of Dayton, Ohio.