Plays electric guitar, slide guitar and banjo mandolin; also dabbles with accoustic. Grizzled veteran and unashamed old rock n’ roller but still younger than Clapton!

Influences: Varied through the years as musical interests grew. In the early years influenced by Bert Weedon [both he and Ronnie started out using Bert Weedons’ play in a day – now available on DVD] Hank Marvin,Carl Perkins, Keith Richards and of course Chuck Berry

Later influenced by blues artists such as Buddy Guy, Elmore James and Eric Clapton to name a few, followed by the country greats James Burton, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson [also Ronnies guitar hero] and Albert Lee among many others.

Currently into the unbelievable Brad Paisley.

Jimmy has imported many of the styles he has studied over the years into his own guitar playing and with many years experience and armed with a Fender Telecaster De-Luxe with Lace Sensor pick ups [and a stand-by Stratocaster] played through a much sought after Fender Princeton Chorus amp and digitech RP200 he is more than an asset to any band.

Jim first played his Selmer Futurama in a 60′s Rythmn and Blues band called “The Elect” covering Stones,Pretty Things,Chuck Berry,Bo Diddley etc.numbers and the claim to fame for this band was supporting Scotlands premier R&B band “The Poets” on one occasion.

A couple of bands later and a change of music style, found Jim playing with Scotlands premier Country Gospel band in the early 70′s. Jim has a life long regret of trading in a beautiful rosewood Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennesean during this period because “he didn’t like it”. Instead bought a new ‘ 72 blond Telecaster(and was also daft enough to let that go later!).

Jim has been a Fender man ever since. The Country Gospel 4 performed all over Scotland and into Northern England, including concerts in the City Halls Glasgow and also in Barlinnie prison!

A major highlight for the Jim and the band was supporting Cliff Richard at the Kinema Ballroom Dunfermline. http://www.kinemagigz.com

A further move and change of music style saw Jim first play alongside Ronnie in the 1980s band –Focus. During this time (in the early 80′s) Jim and Ronnie also performed together in a scratch band in Switzerland even having a go at accoustic street busking in the town of Martigny!

Jim reverted back to Country style with a band called Heartsong, a band which featured excellent steel guitar and banjo player Kin Rankin and although Scotland based, performed as far afield as France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Then through the late 90′s and into the 21st century Jim played with another of Scotlands well known gospel bands “the COG band” performing at 3000 seater concerts and appearing on TV on three occasions.

The last 12 months, has found Jim part time gigging with the Ronnie again in Shoestring, and covering much of the blues and rock and roll music from his earliest roots, in addition to more recent music from bands such as Greenday and Snow Patrol.

It was a small step from this to becoming a member of “Best before midnight”