Hi Jeff - Tell us about you!
I am Jeff Tobin, but when I perform as a musician, I use my full name — Jeffrey Forrester Tobin.
I have a new EP coming out mid-August that's a lot of fun. I recorded it during the Covid quarantine, and it's my first as a solo performer. To bring it to life I enlisted the help of some super-talented musicians in Columbus, Nashville and New York. It'll be available for streaming on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, and on CD.
I am Jeff Tobin, but when I perform as a musician, I use my full name — Jeffrey Forrester Tobin.
I have a new EP coming out mid-August that's a lot of fun. I recorded it during the Covid quarantine, and it's my first as a solo performer. To bring it to life I enlisted the help of some super-talented musicians in Columbus, Nashville and New York. It'll be available for streaming on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, and on CD.
How and when did you get involved with music:
I can remember the day--February 9, 1964. That was the night I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Like millions of other American kids, I immediately hounded my parents for a guitar and lessons. Music became my passion. I played in several bands throughout high-school and early college. None were very good, but I learned a lot about the creative process and group dynamics, and that girls liked bass players. By college, I’d become a pretty proficient bassist and considered leaving school to pursue a life as a professional musician. My parents weren’t too keen on that idea and convinced me to a least finish college. Good call. By graduation, my interests had shifted away from music towards television production. It took 30 years for me to find my way back to music.
I can remember the day--February 9, 1964. That was the night I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Like millions of other American kids, I immediately hounded my parents for a guitar and lessons. Music became my passion. I played in several bands throughout high-school and early college. None were very good, but I learned a lot about the creative process and group dynamics, and that girls liked bass players. By college, I’d become a pretty proficient bassist and considered leaving school to pursue a life as a professional musician. My parents weren’t too keen on that idea and convinced me to a least finish college. Good call. By graduation, my interests had shifted away from music towards television production. It took 30 years for me to find my way back to music.
Did you have any influences? I’ve always been drawn to melody. Songwriters like Paul McCartney, Paul Simon and CSN&Y created the template, I’m just trying to draw inside their lines. And I adore irreverent comedy. In the early years I was a sponge for Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Saturday Night Live and more obscure acts like Firesign Theater and the Bonzo Dog Band. Other musicians that rank high in my book for great songwriting and interesting lyrics are Randy Newman, Aimee Mann, Carsie Blanton and Wilco.
What more can you tell us about your craft? Do you do this professionally? Or more as a hobby?
I’m now in my second incarnation as a musician. After college, I put aside music to focus on my career. For nearly 30 years I worked at ad agencies as a writer and creative director. Then, several years ago, just for fun, I picked up a guitar laying around the house and wrote a song. It felt good, so I wrote a few more. Soon after, a friend introduced me to the Columbus open mic scene, and it didn’t take long for me to jump back into music with both feet. Since then, I’ve played in a number of local bands, led my own band (The Jeffs), performed as a solo singer-songwriter at clubs and festivals in the area, and I’ve recorded three CDs. It’s still just for fun; I work very hard at songwriting, but it’s just a hobby, and I plan to keep it that way. My current day job is co-owner of Metro Village Realty with my wife Regina Acosta Tobin.
Interestingly, I find my motivation for playing music these days is different when I was younger. I see myself as a flagbearer for older singer-songwriters. I’m doing my part to show the world there’s no expiration date on creativity. If you have something interesting to say and say it well, you can usually find an audience willing to listen. And your audience may not even be your peers. When I started playing clubs, I thought I’d encounter lot of ageism, especially among 20-something musicians and fans who’d see me as an old man. I was wrong. I’ve been welcomed into the local music community by people of all ages. Columbus is great that way. Sure, I’m judged when I play, but I’m being judged on my music and talent, not my age. I’m ok with that.
I’m now in my second incarnation as a musician. After college, I put aside music to focus on my career. For nearly 30 years I worked at ad agencies as a writer and creative director. Then, several years ago, just for fun, I picked up a guitar laying around the house and wrote a song. It felt good, so I wrote a few more. Soon after, a friend introduced me to the Columbus open mic scene, and it didn’t take long for me to jump back into music with both feet. Since then, I’ve played in a number of local bands, led my own band (The Jeffs), performed as a solo singer-songwriter at clubs and festivals in the area, and I’ve recorded three CDs. It’s still just for fun; I work very hard at songwriting, but it’s just a hobby, and I plan to keep it that way. My current day job is co-owner of Metro Village Realty with my wife Regina Acosta Tobin.
Interestingly, I find my motivation for playing music these days is different when I was younger. I see myself as a flagbearer for older singer-songwriters. I’m doing my part to show the world there’s no expiration date on creativity. If you have something interesting to say and say it well, you can usually find an audience willing to listen. And your audience may not even be your peers. When I started playing clubs, I thought I’d encounter lot of ageism, especially among 20-something musicians and fans who’d see me as an old man. I was wrong. I’ve been welcomed into the local music community by people of all ages. Columbus is great that way. Sure, I’m judged when I play, but I’m being judged on my music and talent, not my age. I’m ok with that.
Please tell us about living in German Village.
Regina and I cherish living and working in German Village. We’ve been here over 15 years and have a large network of friends, all within walking distance! We especially love the patio at Barcelona, warming up at The Old Mohawk on a snowy night and finding great gifts at the Golden Hobby Shop. Living here, we feel like we’re a part of a special community, so we give back as much as we can. Regina volunteers at the Meeting Haus Visitor’s Center every week (before Covid, of course), I’m on the Art Crawl committee, and over the years we’ve helped out with countless Village events through participation and sponsorships.
Regina and I cherish living and working in German Village. We’ve been here over 15 years and have a large network of friends, all within walking distance! We especially love the patio at Barcelona, warming up at The Old Mohawk on a snowy night and finding great gifts at the Golden Hobby Shop. Living here, we feel like we’re a part of a special community, so we give back as much as we can. Regina volunteers at the Meeting Haus Visitor’s Center every week (before Covid, of course), I’m on the Art Crawl committee, and over the years we’ve helped out with countless Village events through participation and sponsorships.
Life's Hard
So I write songs that make me smile. Often, I play ’em for friends and audiences, and they smile, too. It doesn’t get any better than that.
I began writing and performing around 10 years ago. I was the classic 9-to-5’er, and my life had become pretty one dimensional. So, for fun, I wrote a few songs, and friends said they were good. Then I started playing open mics and people I didn’t know said the songs were good…quirky, but good. Then, a song I wrote was a winner in the Columbus Bicentennial Song contest. Soon after, I picked up a first-place award in the songwriting category at the Ohio Music Awards, and that was very good.
With my band, The Jeffs, we released three records and played lots of shows. But now I'm now flying solo, performing at clubs and festivals throughout central Ohio. And while I love sharing my songs with audiences, my main passion still lies in songwriting. I’ve posted a few favorites here. I hope they make you smile.
So I write songs that make me smile. Often, I play ’em for friends and audiences, and they smile, too. It doesn’t get any better than that.
I began writing and performing around 10 years ago. I was the classic 9-to-5’er, and my life had become pretty one dimensional. So, for fun, I wrote a few songs, and friends said they were good. Then I started playing open mics and people I didn’t know said the songs were good…quirky, but good. Then, a song I wrote was a winner in the Columbus Bicentennial Song contest. Soon after, I picked up a first-place award in the songwriting category at the Ohio Music Awards, and that was very good.
With my band, The Jeffs, we released three records and played lots of shows. But now I'm now flying solo, performing at clubs and festivals throughout central Ohio. And while I love sharing my songs with audiences, my main passion still lies in songwriting. I’ve posted a few favorites here. I hope they make you smile.
Where can we see or hear your work? The best place is my website, jeffreyforrestertobin.com. There, you’ll music, videos and photos. You’ll also find links to my social media sites and sites like YouTube, Soundcloud and Bandcamp that have more of my work.
Where you were born, raised, educated: I was born in the Panama Canal Zone and grew up in Tampa, Florida in the early 60’s, the oldest of three kids. My dad owned a furniture store, my Mom was a housewife, and we lived in the suburbs. We were right out of Leave It To Beaver. I went to Florida State University where I got my bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communications with a minor in Business Marketing.
