Eric Sage grew up playing tennis ranking first in Canada as a junior. He went to SDSU on a tennis scholarship and soon hit the pro tour earning an ATP world tennis ranking. But all of that changed in a single moment.
As a passenger, an automobile accident abruptly ended his pro tennis career.
“It was that simple,” said Sage. “I had put all my years in life into it. What am I going to do?”
Eric Sage grew up playing tennis ranking first in Canada as a junior. He went to SDSU on a tennis scholarship and soon hit the pro tour earning an ATP world tennis ranking. But all of that changed in a single moment.
As a passenger, an automobile accident abruptly ended his pro tennis career.
“It was that simple,” said Sage. “I had put all my years in life into it. What am I going to do?”
But that question did not haunt Sage for long.
Though tennis is still a large part of his life, Sage turned to a natural talent that he had never delved into before—his voice. And he has run with it ever since. Now, tennis and voice instructor, author, philanthropist, motivational speaker, and rock ‘n’ roll star, Sage created his own entertainment empire with the same determination and dreams that placed him on the world’s greatest tennis courts.
Sage said he never saw himself as a suit guy, so he went to Los Angeles, got an agent and began acting. He landed several roles, including “Wayne’s World.” And as much as he loved acting, he realized that music had been by his side all of his life.
At 24, at a rock concert with a friend, Sage chose to take on the life of the music stage. He had never sung or picked up an instrument before, but the next day he began to teach himself to sing.
“I didn’t realize how hard it would be,” said Sage. “I’m soft spoken and to sing hard rock was difficult. I am blessed with a high range (three-octave), but it took me 10 years to develop and train it. So I taught tennis all day in LA with many celebrities and then at night studied music until two to three in the morning.”
He studied voice and piano, went to the Musicians Institute in LA and studied performing. Sage knew he needed the whole package. So he studied dance, piano, voice, and guitar when everything finally broke open.
“After a worldwide search, the Bay City Rollers featuring Ian Mitchell hired me and I began touring with them,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it was happening. I was suddenly living the dream that I had watched others live and now I was doing it. I didn’t have to teach tennis as much and became a full time musician.”
He said joining the Bay City Rollers featuring Ian Mitchell was great. The crowds came and sang every word to every song. He said bringing back the nostalgia of this 70s band to fans was an amazing and touching moment. But learning music struck a major chord in his innate ability to teach tennis.
“I developed a teaching system through my music studies,” he said. “I was teaching all these adults. Being a student myself, I was suddenly in their head. I got it. They are confused right now, just like I am totally confused with the E flat major scale. So I developed a simple number system and it really started to change their lessons.”
He founded the Los Angeles Tennis Academy and coached Hollywood celebrities, rock stars, athletes, world ranked tennis juniors and adults. He became known as The Master Tennis Teacher to the Stars and wrote “The Magic Key to Tennis.”
The book is doing very well, he said and he is excited to be able to help people, both in their game and inspiration of their dreams and goals.
“And then the charity works came in,” said Sage. “To me that is a whole, beautiful place to be in. I realized that I could donate my time, music, book, CDs and help wherever I can.”
He recently performed at a Marshall Faulk event and has another upcoming charity event at SDSU, a homecoming.
With his debut single album, “Redeem my Heart” he donates all proceeds to Make-a-Wish, a charity he has become heavily involved in.
“I’ve done other CDs but this one is personal,” he said. “This one had a great producer and great musicians and the songs are poignant in my life. It is me. And to be able to do that is really special. It is just honest.”
This album is total rock ‘n’ roll from ballad to hard rock. Accompanied by masterful musicians, both lyrics and music are edgy, relevant and sounds great cranked to the max. Sage’s ability to connect with real life problems, both personal and social brings back the fundamentals of rock that spreads over decades of rock lovers.
With so many genres under his belt and running, with his Sage Global Entertainment business he does rock, a Bon Jovi Tribute, a 80s tribute band called LIXX and has a Top 40 band. Just to name a few.
Sage said he broke the San Diego scene with the help of some friends of his at the Second Wind Bar in Santee. After performing his Top 40s show in Vegas for a couple of years, the first call he made to get back into the clubs was to them.
“It was great. I love it here,” he said. “There is a hometown feeling there and here in El Cajon. I love playing these places. We’ll do bigger venues but there is something about playing these smaller venues. People are into it, want to be there, are happy and that makes it special.”
Sage said he loves being back in San Diego even though he still travels often, it is home. He said it is a strange, but great feeling as he drives back and forth from gigs or lessons to see SDSU, where he started. He said it reminds him that he has the privilege of living two careers, both loved.
“I try to literally tell myself daily that I am getting to do what I love to do,” said Sage. “I am living my dream. I feel lucky. I tell people in my motivational speeches, not to toot my own horn, but I have made it and you can too. Anything you really want to do and really love, if you want to get serious you can do it.”
To learn more about Eric Sage, his upcoming gigs, buy his book, CD, vocal or tennis lessons, book his cover bands for any type of venue go to his websites at:
www.ericsage.com, www.themagickeytotennis.com, www.sageglobalentertainment.com, www.lixxmusic.com, www.jargonart.com/BCR and www.livingonaprayer.org,.
