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Jude was born under another name in Pikeville, Kentucky on March 15, the “Ides of March,” the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated. Jude has always had an ominous feeling about his birth date. He can’t explain why. He took the name Jude Carl Spears to honor the two most important people in his life: his mother and sister. His mothers maiden name is Spears and his sisters name is Judy. Carl is his Christian name. Family and close friends still refer to him as Carl.

His father kidnapped his wife and newborn son from a Baptist hospital and admitted them to a Catholic hospital to prevent a planned hysterectomy. Jude’s mother was told it would be dangerous for her to have any more children, but had one more child three years later at the age of 38. Jude’s father skipped out on the bill after admitting them to the Catholic hospital, so Jude has never been paid for. He has 4 brothers and 4 sisters.

On the birth certificate, his father’s occupation is listed as Mining Foreman, but in reality he was a bootlegger. Running illegal whiskey, beer, etc., by single and twin engine airplane, a skill he learned during World War II in the Army Air Corps and which Jude sings about in BOX OF OLD PICTURES, a song on the AMERICAN TOWN CD.

Jude’s father cleaned up his act (sort of) and moved the family to Schererville, Indiana, after securing employment with a Ford Motor Company dealership as a mechanic when Jude was 9 months old. The family became sick during the trip due to the trailer attached to the car causing fumes from the exhaust backing up into the car. All of the family suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning and how Jude survived at such a young age is a miracle.

The family lived in a house on the Maple Motel property on U.S. 41 near the intersection of U.S. 30, the “CROSSROADS OF THE NATION” until Jude was in the 1st grade. They lived in a small house his father purchased on Lake Street in Schererville until the summer of his 16th year when the family returned to Pikeville. Months later, his mother received a phone call from the people that purchased the home in Schererville. The lady on the other end said that “two men in dark suits showed up and wanted to know where they could find your husband. I told them I did not know. I hope they weren’t criminals, but I had that feeling.” It seems that Jude’s father had beaten his former partner in a used car dealership with a chain that was used to raise engines out of the frame. The man was probably seeking revenge.

Jude fell in love for the first time at the age of 16 with a pretty blonde varsity cheerleader. She had the sweetest voice (and still does) and that southern accent made his heart melt. She is a beautiful person, a child of God and Jude considers himself lucky that she came into his life. He just wishes he had been a better boyfriend. She broke it off with him after six months together. This destroyed him for some time. He dated girls that looked like her and all others have had to live up to this one girl. Embarrassingly, Jude contacted her after holding onto something she had told him. She had said maybe they could go out again. He waited until he could wait no more and called her. That phone call just added to his misery.

He fell in love again at the age of 18 and married a year later to a woman 6 years his senior. He was married to her for 21 years. During this period he joined the U.S. Army at 24, had 2 children, both boys, Timothy 25 and Charles now 20 as of the date of this bio. He still cares deeply for his ex-wife and would do anything within his power to help her. She has changed her phone number after her fears came into play. Jude contacted her to let her know he was leaving the state and offered a chance for her to say good-bye in person. He hopes she is happy and healthy.

Jude continues to “walk the Earth” as he calls it and currently lives in Northwest Indiana. An area that he pays tribute to IN CHICAGOLAND. A new song on his current PROJECT: Rock Star. A quote from Jude: “My father was a bootlegger and both grandfathers were Baptist ministers. Is there any wonder that I’m all screwed up?” He said it with a laugh.