MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee jazz musician Jerry Grillo will be recognized by the City of Milwaukee Monday. Mayor Cavalier Johnson will proclaim May 9 “My Hometown Milwaukee” Day in the city. The honor comes after Grillo wrote and performed “My Hometown Milwaukee.”
Grillo says the song was released right before the COVID lockdowns in 2019. It includes mentions of a lot of Milwaukee landmarks. “The melody came to mind and all of a sudden I thought now you’ve got to think of all the highlights of Milwaukee and get them in there. Yeah, I'm not missing anything,” said Grillo.
The jazzy song has the feeling of “Chicago” by Frank Sinatra, which was by design says Grillo. “Yeah, that was intended as well. Those came to mind and then I felt to myself it can’t sound like those, but it can have a bit of those,” he said.
The mayor will honor Grillo with a proclamation at 10 a.m. at City Hall. Grillo says the honor was surprising. “You know it still blows me away. Who thinks this is going to happen really with their music necessarily. But it is it’s about Milwaukee, why not have it go somewhere.”
Grillo would like his song to become the un-official or official theme song of the City of Milwaukee.
