Jim Olsen has enjoyed a long and varied career in the music industry beginning as a radio DJ and programmer in the 1970’s. Olsen moved to Western Massachusetts in 1984 to work at WRSI (The River), where he is still employed today, hosting the weekly program The Back Porch on Sunday mornings.In 1994, Olsen and local recording studio owner Mark Thayer founded Signature Sounds Recordings, a record label and music marketing company which has launched the careers of many notable artists including singer-songwriters Josh Ritter, Lori McKenna, Allison Russell and the bands Lake Street Dive and Crooked Still. Signature Sounds has released over 200 albums and continues to release several albums each year.
Signature Sounds Presents was created in 2012 and opened a small coffeehouse style venue called The Parlor Room in Northampton. SSP has produced concerts and events in many venues around the region and founded The Back Porch Festival in 2014 and The Arcadia Folk Festival in 2018.Olsen is one of the founders of the Green River Festival, which began in 1986. Over the years Olsen was the music director and talent buyer for the festival. In 2013 he purchased the festival from the Franklin County Chamber Of Commerce and ran the festival for 10 years before selling it to DSP Shows in late 2023. He continues to have a consulting role with the festival.
Signature Sounds Presents was created in 2012 and opened a small coffeehouse style venue called The Parlor Room in Northampton. SSP has produced concerts and events in many venues around the region and founded The Back Porch Festival in 2014 and The Arcadia Folk Festival in 2018.Olsen is one of the founders of the Green River Festival, which began in 1986. Over the years Olsen was the music director and talent buyer for the festival. In 2013 he purchased the festival from the Franklin County Chamber Of Commerce and ran the festival for 10 years before selling it to DSP Shows in late 2023. He continues to have a consulting role with the festival.