Greg Evigan Talks Pivoting to Music and Inspiring His Son Jason's Career (Exclusive)

Greg Evigan may best be remembered from his starring roles on My Two Dads and B.J. and the Bear, in which he played a trucker who traveled the country’s highways with his pet chimpanzee, Bear. But nowadays, Evigan, 69, is making music the focus of his career and has even recorded an album with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, Evigan and his son Jason Evigan, open up about their father-son bond, their evolving careers and sharing a mutual passion for music.

“I've always pursued the music, but you wouldn't know it because you couldn't really cross-platform like you can today,” Evigan tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It's something I always wanted to do wholeheartedly, and I really haven't had the chance to do that in my life. Now I'm just going to go for that. I love it.”

The father of three contributed music to the shows he worked on, even co-writing the theme song to My Two Dads. In 1997, Evigan released his own album, Slow Down, and he brought his son Jason in on the process.

“Jason got to sit in on the writing sessions we used to do, so he got that feel for that,” Evigan says. “I think that was all inspiring stuff. You don't realize at the time what the effect's going to be, but there he is."

So far in his own music career, Jason, 40, has written and produced songs for Nick Jonas, Demi Lovato and Madonna, performed at Coachella and won a Grammy for his work on Rüfüs Du Sol’s “Alive.” Jason also sang with his band, After Midnight Project.

“To be influenced by someone who was so passionate about the arts, it rubbed off on me and of gave me like the [idea of], oh, if he could do it, I could do it,” Jason says of his father. “I think a lot of people don't have someone that can show them it's possible.”

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Growing up, Jason tells PEOPLE he “was totally aware” of his dad’s fame. In fact, a girl in elementary school once agreed to be Jason’s girlfriend in an effort to meet Greg.  

“She was like the hot girl — her name was Sharon — and I remember she actually asked me out on a date. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is amazing,’” Jason recalls. “At the end of the date, she asks for an autographed picture. I'm like, ‘Of course.’ And the next day at school, I go to try to hold her hand and she's like, ‘Get away from me. I just used you for your dad.’”

When Jason got older, he turned the family’s garage into his music studio, which features a refurbished keyboard from Greg’s A Year at the Top costar Paul Shaffer. “I always had band practice and then he actually joined the band for a year,” Jason says of his dad.

Greg always supported Jason’s music career. “My dad, he was a great, great influence on my life, but he always said, ‘Greg, you got to have something to fall back on,’” the Melrose Place vet says. “And I said, ‘No, no, no. I'm not falling back.’ So I never really looked at it like that. I always looked at it like, go for what you want.”

Today, the father-son duo often compares notes on their music. “He's always writing stuff and sending it to me so I'm trying to help find it homes,” Jason says. “He's still like, ‘Jase, check out this new song I made!’"

Jason gave one of Greg’s songs, “One Track Mind,” to electro-funk duo Chromeo and they have plans to work together more in the future. "There's some cool things coming up," Jason teases.

Greg and Jason love going to music festivals like Lightning in a Bottle, and outside of music, they enjoy exploring the outdoors, frequently going camping, taking hikes or kayaking. “Our imaginations just go wild and we're like two little kids having fun out there,” Jason says.

They also have meaningful talks — “like five-hour conversations,” Greg says — about everything from philosophy to politics.

Jason says he learned the ins and outs of marriage thanks to watching his parents, who have been married since 1979.

“I saw a lot of forgiveness with you guys,” Jason says to his father. “I'd see some big fights, but then I see you guys hugging and holding each other. You guys were always having a good time, making sure the friendship is always there."

"You've never ever talked bad about Mom to me, which I think is huge," he adds.

Greg credits his persistence for a long-lasting marriage to his wife Pamela Serpe. “I just don't give up,” he tells PEOPLE. “I think a lot of people, something goes wrong in the relationship and they let the world and whatever's happening get in. They don't try to work it out. We have three kids, and there's times when I think, we might have stayed together for the kids. And I'm so glad we did because at this point, we have probably a better relationship than we've ever had.”