Visions Of Mary Immaculate CD

Although Jim's musical style is reminiscent of Jimmy Buffett and Jerry Jeff Walker, he has a knack for defying categorization. He mixes a whimsical island sound with a splash of Texas to produce a sound that is uniquely Gulf and Western.

Jim grew up in Georgia and Florida and has a heritage rich in music. His grandfather led a dance band, and everyone in the family either played an instrument or sang. At age 10 Jim taught himself to play the guitar by listening to Hank Williams records. After college while pursuing a career in human resources management, he continued to write songs and dream of the day when he could do it full-time. 'After I graduated, I wanted to be a drifter and a writer; instead, I settled for corporate executive and closet entertainer.

'During his 15-year corporate career, his job allowed him to live in several interesting locales, such as Montana, New Orleans, St. Simons Island, and the Chesapeake Bay area, all of which would figure prominently in his writing. Following a business trip during which he renewed his love affair with the southwest coast of Florida, Jim took the leap he had been contemplating for some time and left the corporate world for good.

Jim's initial plan was to write songs and play gigs around Florida. From the beginning he took a big risk by featuring original music. 'I spent about a year writing and developing a catalog of songs. I was unsure of my ability to sing and play the guitar professionally, but I thought my songs might separate me from the other performers.

'A fortuitous meeting with recording artist Randy Matthews would result in Matthews producing Jim's first recording, 'Laid Back and Key Wasted,' released in 1996 by Fish Head Music. As you would expect, each song tells a story: the title track is about a guy who gives up the corporate world for the beach; one is about the exploits of a pilot who flies contraband; another is about roadkill and the people who collect it; others tell great stories of sailing, fishing, and drinking. 'After my first CD was released, I changed my focus. I stopped playing bars so much and I worked coffeehouses and bookstores. I wanted to play before a listening audience who might appreciate what I had to say. I made less money, but I started to develop a fan base.