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Here is a
brief biography, that spotlights a few of the highlights and accomplishments
of Jim's career, which has spanned nearly thirty years as an active member
of the professional music industry.
Jim
started playing on the road in 1974 with a Bluegrass band called "Raintree",
from western Massachusetts, touring full time up and down the east coast
and playing lots of festivals and clubs. “We played the Philadelphia
Folk Festival and Lincoln Center, recalls Jimmy. “ I played Dobro®
and banjo,and drove the truck till I invented Rap. By the way...I have
never recieved any monies from Sugg or DR. Dre. I did how ever learn how
to play Salt Creek, so I figure we're even"
For
the next two years Jim played Dobro® with "Transatlantic Bluegrass",
a popular (but not well paid) French Bluegrass band that acted as Bill
Kieth’s backup band (Bill pays good) whenever he did his European
touring. One of the highlights of that period was Transatlantic Bluegrass’
appearance on a PBS special called Bill Monroe and Friends.
In
1980 Jim joined "Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers", again
as Dobro® player. He toured with Sparks for two years, helping record
two albums for Rebel Records and two more for Old Homestead Records.
Over
the next six years Jim played with Red Allen and Bill Grant and Dehlia
Bell and started learning to play the pedal steel guitar( In bars, where
it was meant to be played}.
1988
was a momentous year for Jimmy Heffernan.He played electric guitar for
Doug Kershaw for a year, and then joined Joe Diffie’s band, where
he stayed 9 years. Jim reflects fondly on this time: ” We toured
every major venue and appeared as a members of the Grand Ole Opry. We
played lots of television, including The Grand Ole Opry Live, Regis and
Kathy Lee, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America , and Hee Haw, to name
but a few. Joe sold over eight million records during this time.”
"Some
one else wrote that. but it sounds good. So, I'll leave it."
Upon
leaving Joe Diffie’s employment, Jim stayed in Nashville, producing
albums and working with new artists before finally joining Brad Paisley’s
band in 1999.
Jimmy
says, ”I toured with Brad for two years as well as played Dobro®
on Brad’s second ARISTA album, "Part Two". On this platinum
record I had an opportunity to play on a track called "Too Country",
which featured preformances by George Jones, Buck Owens, and Bill Anderson.
Another track "Munster Rag', was nominated for a Grammy award for
Best Country Instrumental in 2001.” Thanks Brad ( opps!!! I'm not
writng this)
Since
leaving Brad Paisley’s band, Jim has been busy playing with Mark
Cosgrove (The Jerry Douglas Band) and producing records for new artists
( guys that don't have record deals), including Michael Mason, who’s
song, Cape Lonely, reached #32 on the country charts and Sony recording
artist, Buddy Jewell, first winner of the popular television series, Nashville
Star.
Mark
Cosgrove has now released his new record "Sweet Reason" which
features a lot of Jimmy's Dobro playing and singing (which somehow did
not make the final mix ????). I'm also not on the cover with Mark which
puzzled me. Well anyway, if you have enough pictures of me already and
still want the CD you can get it at Mark
Cosgrove without Heffernan on the cover. com
Jim
has also been doing some theater work. He played steel guitar and acted
in the play "Stand By Your Man" at Goodspeed Playhouse in
2003. 2005 will see Jim playing Dobro, Steel and Guitar at the "Hartford
Stage" in a production of "Floyd and Clea". The score
for this play was written by Jonathan Kreisberg, NYC jazz guitar hotshot,and
is built around Dobro music.
These
days, Jimmy Heffernan is shifting gears, devoting more time to one of
the things he loves best, teaching up-and-coming players. If you get a
chance, be sure to attend one of Jim’s highly popular Dobro®
Workshops.
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