In addition to being an award-winning musician and composer, Brickman now adds the title of author to his list of accomplishments. His book, Simple Things, contains essays on the different facets of life’s pleasures. The themes in Simple Things are reflected in his new album of the same title.

Along with writing music and now books, Brickman hosts a syndicated weekly radio program called “Your Weekend with Jim Brickman.” The show is a three-hour program and features adult contemporary music along with celebrity interviews.

He’s proven himself to be as adept at tinkering with his career as he is tickling the ivories.

Brickman dropped out of a 12-year run as a successful composer of advertising jingles for companies like Coke, McDonald’s and General Electric in order to pursue a career as a performer at a time when instrumentalists were out of vogue.

His perseverance paid off with a contract with the landmark new age label Windham Hill. Once he built a solid following for his romantic piano compositions, he began writing for guest vocalists, and not just any jazz-torch warblers, either, but established stars running the spectrum from pop to country.

And it’s worked. Brickman has recorded with guests including Carly Simon, Pam Tillis, Collin Raye, and Martina McBride (not to mention the Muppets).

Last year, he toured with guest vocalist Donny Osmond in what at first seemed like an odd pairing. But that’s just the sort of twist Brickman thrives on, and his intuition continues to serve him well.