Press Kit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jim Stanard's Bucket List

Songwriter Covers Everything from Politics to the Thermodynamics of Love

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE -- Once a powerful leader in the world of finance and insurance, a nowretired Jim Stanard is taking on a new role as a singer / songwriter, fulfilling a dream that has burned for more than four decades. Stanard's Bucket List is set for release on Manatee Records on June 1.

On 11 original songs, Stanard lends an authentic voice behind the wisdom of someone who has lived a life trying to learn from his mistakes and grow as a person. "I've always carried around a Dylan line 'he not busy being born is busy dying'," he says. "To accomplish something, one needs to take action. I like to think of weaponizing my mistakes and failures by learning from each." Drawing from a well of influences that includes such diverse artists as Warren Zevon, The Who, David Bromberg and Robert Earl Keen, Stanard talks about taking ownership of life choices ("Lobster"), gets inside the head of a soldier ("Dogs of War"), politics ("Can't Happen Here"), talks philosophy ("It's All Turtles"), regret ("Meant To Say") and even love ("Bucket List") and thermodynamics ("Law of Love").

As a young man, Stanard hung out at the legendary Main Point Coffeehouse in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania watching icons like Tom Rush, Doc Watson, Bruce Springsteen and many others. He saw Bob Dylan in Philadelphia in 1966 and attended Woodstock in 1969. Having started playing guitar as a teenager in the 60's, music meant so much to him that he sold his childhood coin collection to buy his first guitar, a Martin D-28 that he still plays.

A lifelong learner and setter of goals, Stanard earned a reputation as an influential leader in the world of finance and insurance before turning his attention back to music in the early 2000s. A series of introductions to music industry insiders led to guitar lessons with Jon Skibic, of the Afghan Whigs, and voice lessons with Kip Winger, frontman for the platinum-selling rock band, Winger. Kip encouraged Jim to begin writing songs and Jim dove in, studying with Kip and other writers, and crystalizing his observations into the songs that went on to comprise Bucket List.

His patient approach has paid off. "Most people overestimate what they can do in 6 months and underestimate what they can do in 6 years," he says. "I've learned to set attainable short term goals, but shoot high on long term goals. Be stubborn as gravity."

Contact:
Lance Cowan - LCMedia
(615) 210-1478 - lcmedia@comcast.net