Born in the backwoods of Philadelphia, Jim Hanft grew up a hunter. By the tender age of 14, he realized the cruelties of killing innocent animals. He put down the gun and picked up the guitar. With the strike of the pen and the stroke of a wrist he began writing songs.

Originally Jim wrote songs to do two things: make his brother's friends laugh, and his mother's friends cry. Little did he know at the time that he was building the foundation of what would make Jim Hanft such a unique young singer/songwriter. "Laughter and pain are two very similar emotions" says Jim, "when you combine the two you make people completely vulnerable yet completely comfortable at the same time." Jim has made this philosophy part of who he is as both a songwriter and performer.

Playing throughout Southern California and in cities like New York and Boston, Jim has gained the confidence and charisma of that old guy that works at the bakery downtown.