A year ago, Jason Paulino packed up a life built in Massachusetts and moved to the Nashville area to chase a solo career as a singer-songwriter. On September 20, that gamble puts him inside the Grand Ole Opry House as an official nominee for Song of the Year — Rock Artist at the 12th Annual Josie Music Awards, the largest independent music awards show in the world.
The nominated song, “Don’t Give Up On Me,” is a fitting title for the moment. Paulino, known to longtime fans as the frontman of The Great Escape: A Tribute to Journey, grew up in Hudson, Massachusetts, before relocating to Clinton in 2005. The move to Nashville marked a deliberate turn toward original material and a solo identity, and the nomination arrives in the very first year he submitted his music for consideration.
That timing isn’t lost on him. Paulino has described the nomination as deeply personal, saying it’s an honor to be recognized this early into putting his own songwriting forward, and that being considered alongside so many respected independent artists means the world to him. He’s called the response to “Don’t Give Up On Me” confirmation that he’s chasing the right dream in the right place.
The Josie Music Awards built their reputation on exactly that kind of story: artists without major-label muscle, judged on songwriting and heart. Paulino will be in a stacked Song of the Year — Rock Artist field on September 20, sharing the category with fellow independent voices making their own case for recognition. For an artist one year into a new city and a new chapter, simply being in that room is already the kind of validation a solo career is built on.
The official website for Paulino may be found at https://paulinosings.com