It was in late 2015, after sending out over 400 copies of his unmastered solo debut —Dealing With People—that singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer John Kay discovered his “genres-be-damned” approach to creating music was something audiences everywhere were craving.

Based on the overwhelming positive feedback, Kay partnered with songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steve Lupinski to form JK&WTS. After spending a year developing and rehearsing an undeniable live show, JK&WTS debuted to a sold-out crowd on a Wednesday night in March 2018.

Since their live debut, JK&WTS has released 14 singles, each one different from the last. While many of the songs Kay and Lupinski produce focus on socially-charged topics—gun control, climate change, alcoholism, drug addiction, police brutality, the COVID-19 pandemic, etc.—the overall message of JK&WTS’s music is intended to positively impact others and inspire a more intentional way of day-to-day living (and a few holiday songs don’t hurt, either).

JK&WTS has impressed audiences with their live shows in pockets across the midwest and northeast United States, and was featured on national television multiple times thanks to The Dan Patrick Show. Recently, Kay and Lupinski launched their ad-hoc podcast Who Let You In Here? to help their audience grow their lives and careers via in-depth conversations with music industry professionals.

After spending the majority of 2020 writing and producing music, JK&WTS is scheduling several new releases to close out the year and head into 2021.

Bottom line: Detroit’s best-kept secret won’t be hidden for much longer.