Don’t miss Jim Photoglo’s Sundilla debut this Friday, March 5. Showtime is 7:30 and admission is just $10, $8 for students, and free for children 12 and under. We’ll have free coffee, tea, water and food, though as always you are welcome to bring whatever food or beverage you prefer. For an advance listen, be sure to tune in to Wildman Steve Radio at 3:00 PM Friday; Jim will be sitting in the studio with Wildman Steve, doing a little chatting and a lot of singing. Also, check out the interview with Jim that can be found on the OffBeat Auburn site. (Those web addresses are www.wildmansteve.com, and www.offbeatauburn.com.)
It’s not a stretch to say that no Sundilla performer has enjoyed the success that Jim Photoglo has. Until now, only Steve Forbert has actually had a Top 40 single; Jim has had two. As a writer, Jim has been even more successful, with two Number One hits, and so many other songs covered by different performers that I didn’t even bother counting. (Some of the names: Kenny Rogers, Brenda Lee, Faith Hill, Dusty Springfield, Kathy Mattea and The Everly Brothers.)
And Jim even managed to find success as part of a comedy act; Run C&W took classic soul tunes and performed them bluegrass style, and garnered more than a little national acclaim in the process. Some of Jim’s tunes even found their way to the big and little screens; the final tune of the final episode of the great series Mad About You was one of Jim’s songs. He toured Asia, saw the world as the opening act for the Beach Boys, and was a band member for the likes of Andy Gibb and Dan Fogelberg.
Perhaps the oddest– and, if you’re a specific age, coolest– project that Jim was associated with happened back in the late 1970s or early 80s. John Belushi wanted to do his famous Joe Cocker imitation at Paul McCartney’s birthday party. But, he needed a band to perform with; he called upon Jim Photoglo to organize that band. (There was a time when “on a first-name basis with Belushi!” would have been about the most impressive credential anyone could flash, at least in my circle of friends.)
After surviving life as a friend of John Belushi, an early-80s pop star, a Nashville songwriter and the member of Run C&W who wore a fat-suit on stage, Jim has finally slowed down a little. But the success has continued. He frequently tours as half of the duo “Freebo and Photoglo (fans of Bonnie Raitt should remember Freebo) as well as solo. As a solo performer, her has released three CDs in the not-too-distant past; the latest, “Is It Me?”, was the Number One CD among folk DJs last June, placing it ahead of releases by the likes of Nanci Griffith, Cheryl Wheeler, Alison Brown, Steve Earle and Elvis Costello. (Alas, on the list of Top Artists for that month, Jim could do no better than fourth– behind Nanci Griffith, Cheryl Wheeler and Bob Dylan.
You wouldn’t think that someone with a resume like that would be the typical down-to-Earth nice guy that Sundilla usually brings to town, but Jim Photoglo is. Let’s fact it, you wouldn’t think someone with a resume like that would be coming to Sundilla anyway. But Jim Photoglo is coming here, and it was even his idea. So let’s be sure to give him the welcome he deserves: a full house!
Again, Jim Photoglo will be appearing on Friday, March 5, at the AUUF. Showtime is 7:30 and admission is just $10, $8 for students, and free for children 12 and under. We’ll have free coffee,tea, water and food, though as always you are welcome to bring whatever food or beverage you prefer. As always you can find more information at www.sundilla.org, and don’t forget the appearance with Wildman Steve at 3:00 Friday, or the podcast on www.offbeatauburn.com.
