Pianist Brickman on solid career footing

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 10:52 a.m.

You can't avoid destiny, no matter how hard you try.

"I didn't realize this, but I was obviously meant to do this," pianist Jim Brickman said. "I was a success at writing jingles for advertising, but I knew there was something else I was meant to do."

What Brickman does is play the piano, which may be an understatement -- kind of like saying Shakespeare was a writer.

Brickman performs tonight at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Artemus Ham Hall.

If not for his date with destiny, he might still be writing jingles in his native Cleveland.

"I went into a studio eight years ago, for myself, just to go in and play," Brickman said recently during a telephone interview from New York. "Therapeutically, I needed to put some of these ideas I had down."

Brickman said he was gratified by the response from those in the studio, who heard him play a series of romantic ballads.

"Everybody said, 'I would buy this,' " Brickman recalled. "It dawned on me that there is not enough of this kind of music in the world -- songs with melodies, love songs, songs with positive, hopeful messages."

In 1994 he said he felt compelled by some inner force to move to Los Angeles. "I wanted to find a personal connection with music."

For the past eight years the 39-year-old former jingle writer has been pursuing the destiny he finally discovered, playing piano in concerts around the country, making CDs and writing books and music.

He has had several gold albums, including "By Heart," "Picture This," "The Gift" and "Destiny."

Brickman performs in more than 150 cities across the country each year. He recently completed a sold-out tour of Asia, has shared a bill with Olivia Newton-John and two years ago toured with friend and musical collaborator Donny Osmond.

Brickman had an A&E cable network special, "Winter Solstice On Ice," which aired in December 1999.

Last year his first PBS television special, "My Romance: An Evening with Jim Brickman," raised millions of dollars in pledges for public television stations.

Brickman's latest CD, "Simple Things," reached No. 1 on Billboard magazine's adult contemporary chart in January.

Brickman also recently wrote a book, also titled "Simple Things" (Hay House Publishing; 2001; $12.95). The book is a collection of short essays "about savoring life's pleasures -- from a vacation in your own neighborhood to holding a newborn baby for the first time."

Brickman's success has come in under the radar.

While many high-profile musicians enter the entertainment scene and disappear quickly, Brickman intends to be around for a long time. He said that is why he has taken a slow, methodical approach to his career.

"My career is a grass-roots effort," he said. "It isn't one of those things like when you go on Jay Leno ('The Tonight Show'), play one song and the next day become famous. It is intended to be more of a word-of-mouth (effort), with good concert experiences and support from radio stations."

Brickman described his career as evolving naturally, with fans more interested in what music he is playing rather than who he is dating.

"With me, my music is about the emotional connection with the listener," he said. "It's about romance, comfort and intimacy.

"It's just one guy onstage, sometimes with a female vocalist that comes out here and there, but for the most part it's me by myself, like I'm in someone's living room."

He says he likes the solid relationship he has with his fans, who are of all ages.

"I'm teased a lot about my audiences," he said. "They are filled with people who fell in love listening to my music, made babies to my music and now they come to my concerts and bring their kids."