The One Where I’m Occasionally Songwriting, Gigging & Producing.
If my career path is a meandering one, it’s because I’ve spent a good chunk of it chasing the music muse. But as luck would have it, all that collaborating with sidemen and studio pros just made sliding into ad agency life seamless. In advertising, you’re just playing with a different kind of band. And what’s better about it is, even when you’re gigging in the roughest venues the checks always clear and there is usually much less chicken wire involved.
I’ve had small moments of recognition: An RCA Nashville development deal, placements in Film and TV, and lots of close calls when it comes to making money. Money or not, I’m from four generations of performers, so music is a bit like a genetic mandate, something I’ll always be doing until I shuffle off this mortal coil. It’s core to who I am, and what I always do with my spare time. I’m putting it in this portfolio because I think it’s a big part of what makes me good at my work.
Since my Nashville era, I’ve created custom scores for clients at agencies like Small Army, Primary360, and Brand Content. I’ve also consulted for showrunners and music supervisors on projects like AppleTV’s Manhunt series, and Lucky Them starring Toni Collette.
I’m very recently back in the studio after a decade, channeling the current times into a new record of ghost stories and murder ballads. In case you’re interested, my last EP was made as a tribute to an old cowboy friend of mine, and you can give it a try on BandCamp.
Come Find Me
I wrote this song and created the sound design elements as a love song by way of a ghost story, and imagined the companion visualizer as a trippy, nostalgic foray into music and memory. I am using this as a recurring score in an upcoming podcast series about otherworldly true stories that hail from the Maine woods.
Won't You Be My Neighbor
A brand essence video for a regional bank needed a track that would get people right in the feels. The agency called me up and asked my partner and I to take a crack at reimagining the Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood theme as an anthem. The pitch was not victorious: But I think the track still holds up!
Look for the Silver Lining
During the Covid-19 lockdown, I wanted to sing a song from my grandmother’s generation, the kind of American Songbook gem that helped people keep their marbles together during wartime. This is my take on Vera Lynn’s spin on “Look for the Silver Lining” co-produced with Ed Arnold. I created the video as an homage to the strong women who made it possible for us to be here. Here’s to defiant joy and resolve and dancing your way through terrible times.