The Music Man

Organist Jeremy Boyer provides the soundtrack for St. Louis sports.

This Q&A originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of Missouri Life magazine.

Jeremy Boyer from Imperial blends in with the St. Louis crowds at Blues and Cardinals home games, but when he slips into his booth seat at both venues, he’s instantly recognized for his music. Jeremy is the sole organist at all home Blues games and many home Cardinals games.

For the Blues, Jeremy plays a varied repertoire of songs, from classical music to classic rock. Fans might hear a familiar Dr. Dre or Snoop Dogg song or Jeremy’s personal favorite, When the Blues Go Marching In, (which means the Blues just scored!). As for the Cardinals, his favorite song to play is Here Comes the King, made famous by Anheuser-Busch and the Budweiser Clydesdales and now referred to as a St. Louis anthem.

Q—How did you get started playing the organ?

A—I heard the organ played at sporting events and it caught my attention. I’d already enjoyed taking music classes at school, so I applied what I learned in those classes to the organ and started playing when I was 12 at St. James Catholic Church in Potosi. It was there that my love for music and organ really blossomed.

Q—How did you land the organist job for the Blues and Cardinals?

A—While attending Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, I played organ for a few seasons at home base- ball games. That’s when I started taking lessons from St. Louis Cardinals organist Ernie Hays, a huge inspiration for me. I was fortunate to study with Ernie and sat with him at Busch Stadium a few times when he played the organ. Later, I became organist for the Memphis Redbirds, the St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate. Then the St. Louis Blues contacted me to become their full- time organist for the 2007-08 season. I started playing at many Cardinals home games in 2012 after Ernie retired. I also played for Kansas City Royals special-event games from 2010 to 2015 at Kauffman Stadium.

I play the organ full-time and direct sacred music and liturgy at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in south St. Louis County. I play for all parish and school masses and direct the parish choir and sing for masses. It’s a rewarding position because I share my faith and pray, through music, with others who are attending mass or there to grieve the loss of a loved one or celebrate their wedding. I’ve been a musician for Catholic churches for nearly 30 years.

Q—What do you enjoy most about playing the organ?

A—I love sharing music with others. Playing for the Blues gives me a great opportunity to do that. I enjoy interacting with Blues fans, many of whom have become like a hockey family to me. I’ve been fortunate to have played for memorable games for the Blues and Cardinals, including the 2017 National Hockey League (NHL) Winter Classic at Busch Stadium, the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, and the 2019 Stanley Cup championship.

Earlier this season, I played for the Cardinals game at Busch versus the Kansas City Royals. One of the Royals’ pitchers grew up in Potosi just like me, and it felt like the whole town had driven up for the game. It was his first time pitching at Busch Stadium, and when he came in to pitch, I was able to play our high school fight song during his appearance. It was such a special moment!

Q—What do you enjoy doing when you’re not making music?

A—I enjoy spending time with my daughters Eliza, 9, Isabelle, 18, and Kimberly, 19, and heading down to Potosi to see my mom and friends. I love enjoying the outdoors in Southeast Missouri like swimming, hiking, climbing at Elephant Rocks, camping, floating, and just enjoying a ride down a country road on a nice day.