Trey Gruber

Trey Gruber had a vitality that latched onto every facet of his music. He wrote sensitive and devastating songs performed with his band Parent, an outfit with a revolving cast of musicians. Instead of the "pizza, beer, and rock & roll" garage rock that's popular in the Chicago's music community, Gruber gravitated towards quieter, more introspective songs that, as he put it, "touch you on a different level." Parent's frequent and impassioned performances at venues like Thalia Hall, Lincoln Hall, The Hideout, and The Empty Bottle made them an essential part of the local music community. In September of 2017, Gruber tragically died after a years-long battle with alcohol and heroin addiction. He was 26. His passing rocked the tightly-knit Chicago music community and the tragedy of losing his undeniable talent was bolstered by the absence of his generosity, empathy, and gentleness to his friends and family. Though Parent had only released one song publicly, the tender and unflinchingly honest “I Tried,” Gruber left a wealth of recordings and unfinished songs recovered by his family and friends.