Jim Brickman didn’t realize how comforting his music could be until two years ago when he hurt his knee and needed an MRI. The technician cued up two of his discs, No Words and By Heart.

“I never listen to something after I’ve already recorded it because then it’s out of me. I’ll play it in concert, but I don’t listen to the recording,” he said during a call from his Cleveland home. “There were a couple songs that I thought were beautiful.”

While fans have escaped through his music for three decades, it was the first time he found solace in his serene sound.

That one-hour test made Brickman recognize it was time to admit it: He was a stress junkie. The musician decided to make finding tranquility a priority.

His new project offers a soundtrack to relax to and advice on how to create quiet moments in stress-filled lives.

Brickman will play selections from Soothe — Music to Quiet Your Mind & Soothe Your World Volume 1 and read from a companion book, Soothe — How to Find Calm Amid Everyday Chaos, Wednesday, April 29, at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble University of Toledo Bookstore at the Gateway. Fans are advised to arrive early for the appearance, which will include an autograph session and photo opportunity.

To help gain control of his hectic life and share that message with others, he contacted professionals he featured on his syndicated radio show, “Your Weekend With Jim Brickman,” heard locally on 101.5 The River, to offer advice in the 192-page book. Chapters cover how to soothe your mornings, kingdom, family and relationships.

“I feel like almost everything in the book is relatable to most of us, especially for aging baby boomers,” he said.

Since his 1994 debut, the Cleveland native has sold more than seven million records with songs that inspire, heal and comfort. He has collaborated with a list of stars, including Martina McBride, Collin Raye, Jane Krakowski and Lady Antebellum.

“I really do believe in accomplishing whatever you set your mind to do,” Brickman said. “Because once you do and you see that’s possible and that it works, it changes the way you look at the world.”

Media Coverage
Toledo Free Press (April 25, 2015)