Tag: northampton

BGS 5+5: Jim Olsen, Signature Sounds

Posted on by Editor

Name: Jim Olsen, President, Signature Sounds
Hometown: Northampton, Massachusetts
Latest Album: Golden Age: 25 Years of Signature Sounds
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Molson

What’s your favorite memory from working in the music business?

I’ve been in the music business in one form or another for over 40 years, so it’s pretty hard to break it down to any one memory. Without question my favorite moments are discovering great new artists and watching them perform for the first time in a small club to an intimate audience. I’ve had the good fortune to see amazing performers like Josh Ritter, Eilen Jewell, and Lake Street Dive way before the rest of the world knew them.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to work in the music business?

I grew up in the NYC area, a huge fan of music and WNEW and LLIR, the great progressive radio stations of the time. A career in music never occurred to me until I discovered that my Ithaca College roommate had a show on the campus radio station. It seemed inconceivable that anyone who asked could get a radio show. I’ve worked in radio ever since and have hosted The Back Porch, a weekly roots music show on 93.9 The River in Northampton, Massachusetts, since 1992. Working in radio keeps me connected to new artists and the greater music community.

What advice would you give to an artist who’s pursuing a career as a singer-songwriter?

Aim for quality, not quantity. I think many new singer-songwriters are focused on making album-length statements when a few good songs would be more effective. The streaming age has changed the way we listen to music and the sad truth is that no one has the patience for 12 songs from an unknown artist. Take your time, edit and hone your best songs and present them thoughtfully.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I’m fortunate to live in a beautiful rural area, and I love to run and bike with a musical soundtrack. I can lose myself completely in the music and scenery to the point of not even being aware of time or commitments. The combination of deep listening and fresh air make it a highlight of the day. I also find that some of my best creative ideas happen on the road.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

My dream pairing involves a fried oyster po’boy and an Abita Turbodog while watching a favorite Louisiana band, like the Iguanas, in front of the Fais Do-Do Stage at Jazzfest in New Orleans. It’s number one on my post-pandemic wish list.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Signature Sounds

Root 66: Nick Drummond’s Roadside Favorites

Posted on by Editor

Touring artists spend so much of their time on the road that they, inevitably, find all the best places to eat, drink, shop, and relax. Want to know where to find the best burger, beer, boots, or bunks? Ask a musician. Better yet, let us ask them for you.

Name: Nick Drummond
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Latest Project: Nick Drummond

Tacos: I’m sure I’m just asking for trouble, but if I see a small taco truck in the middle of nowhere, you can bet your belly I’m gonna stop. So far, it’s worked out okay. I’ve had extra good luck in the Central Valley.
Health food: Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Mt. Vernon, Washington. I’ve done the trip from Seattle to Bellingham more times than I can possibly count, and this co-op sits in the perfect location for a quick adjustment. Bladder relief and quinoa under the same roof? Sign me up.
Sushi: Sushi Hana. Sebastopol, California. I have no idea if this is actually the best I’ve had on the road, but every time I’ve been there, it’s been with good friends who live nearby and it has filled my belly with the type of company one craves while on the road.
Dive Bar: I don’t think it’s fair to call this a dive, but Coop’s Place in New Orleans might be my favorite place on earth for eating and drinking. Just make sure you know how spicy your hot sauce is before you pollinate your po’ boy … I had to order a couple glasses of milk once to quench the burn.


Music Festival: It’s not known as a music festival per se, but Oregon Country Fair is heaven on earth.
Backstage Hang: Again, Oregon Country Fair. Some of the best songwriting I’ve ever heard was played around a campfire here well into the morning.
Listening “Room”: Halibut Cove. Homer, Alaska. We played on a floating stage for an audience on a deck over looking the water in Alaska. It was an incredibly beautiful place. They have to set the showtimes to correspond with high tide, otherwise we’d be something like 20 feet below the crowd.
House Concert: Chicken Barn. Whidbey Island, Washington. They turn a wood shop into a concert venue, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more engaged audience. Really sweet people, too.


Coffee: Haymarket Café. Northampton, Massachusetts. If it wasn’t such a lovely café, I’d want to kick everyone out and make it my home.
Highway Stretch: Highway 20. Washington Pass. I’m a Washington boy, and these views are top notch. I’m usually an advocate of keeping both eyes on the road, but over this pass, all bets are off. They close it in the Winter because it’s just too beautiful.
Driving Album: Paul Simon's Concert in the Park. Masterful, start to finish. That album just gobbles up the miles.
Radio Station: KTRT 97.5 — The Root. Winthrop, Washington. Great community radio is a force for good in the world.