Alumni Profile: Eric Gnezda '79

Gnezda Celebrates a Decade of Songs at the Center

Imagine Ohio Wesleyan circa 1978. Eric Gnezda '79, a junior from Worthington, Ohio, is preparing to debut a song to the public—a song he wrote. Eric is so nervous about his gig that he hasn't had a bite to eat in two days.

Fast forward to 2024. Eric regularly performs on Songs at the Center—a television program that he created and hosts. Now in its 10th season, it's broadcast to more than 400 PBS stations from coast to coast.

Songs at the Center features singer-songwriters—from legends like Janis Ian and John Oates to up-and-coming artists. "The heart of the music business is the song," Eric says. "Great songs give listeners something to remember the next day. Songs at the Center showcases people with the courage to take risks in the creative process."

Eric is an award-winning songwriter and an Emmy-nominated producer. He may know a thing or two about taking risks. He wanted to major in music at Ohio Wesleyan. "But I took the entrance exam and scored like 11 out of 100," Eric chuckles. "I am not a trained musician, and I don't read music."

Eric moved on to journalism at Ohio Wesleyan, and though music did not work out for him, journalism did.

"The origin of today's work is that at an important point in my life, OWU gave me the opportunity to pursue my passions, both inside and outside the classroom—writing, music, interviewing, business, and people," Eric says.

He still carries the lessons learned from Professor of Journalism Verne Edwards. "On the first day of class, he walked into the classroom, and I could almost hear the Tonight Show band play the theme song," Eric jokes. "His classes were like Carson's monologue, with wit, but also with insight, purpose, and conviction. At the heart of it all, Professor Edwards taught us to search for and tell the truth. In journalism, songwriting, or prose, it all begins and ends with digging into the truth."

He put those lessons to use during a college internship at WBNS, as, during one memorable assignment, he sat outside Woody Hayes's home the day the coach was fired from Ohio State, hoping to catch an interview.

Eric is not averse to taking risks, and authenticity rules his work, whether it's writing a song, a memoir, a news article, or teaching a class, which he did at Ohio Wesleyan for 12 years. "Being authentic is everything," he says. "Each type of writing has its process, but it all comes down to honesty."

Eric's truth is that he enjoys bringing talented people together and showcasing their genius, which he is able to highlight on Songs at the Center.

He says his most significant life accomplishment is the daughters he and his wife have raised. "Anything else is a distant second," he says. "But professionally, I am proud that over a career of nearly five decades, I've been able to create a career path that remained true to myself and my values. I hope that everything I've done has been in service to others."

– Written by Ericka Kurtz