Paul Jacobsen

As a working songwriter, I have two albums out and one so painfully close to out that it aches to mention. I've been a finalist in prestigious songwriting showcases/competitions (Telluride, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, Bluebird Cafe) and played shows with a diverse list of artists including Sheryl Crow, The Jayhawks, Colin Hay, Laura Gibson, Neon Trees, Great Lake Swimmers, John Hiatt, Robert Earl Keen, Ryan Bingham, Sara Watkins. I've also sat at the feet of great songwriters like Darrell Scott, Mary Gauthier, Jonatha Brooke, and Anais Mitchell as they talked about the nuts, bolts, and pixie dust of songwriting.

Professionally, I've spent a decade-plus as a copywriter/creative director in advertising, starting at Ogilvy & Mather in New York (if you watched Mad Men, you know that it's not necessarily something to brag about). It's taught me about putting words together, the power of language, when to be wordy, when to keep it simple. Not that that's stopped me from writing too much here.