Biography

Contact: Kate Goldsmith, wordscapes@optonline.net

Other Jim McCarty projects:
http://www.airplaydirect.com/music/JimMcCartyandFriends/

Jim McCarty’s career as a blues-rock guitarist spans more than 50 years. In the Sixties he garnered international acclaim with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, playing on such classic hits as “Devil with a Blue Dress On,” “Sock It to Me” and “Jenny Take a Ride.” He has performed with the Buddy Miles Express, power-rockers Cactus, popular Detroit rock band The Rockets, the Detroit Blues Band, Mystery Train and others.

As a member of the Buddy Miles Express, McCarty met Jimi Hendrix, who produced half the tracks on “Electric Church” (1969). That led to an early-morning jam session featuring the two guitarists, “Jimi Jimmy Jam,” was released on Disc One of the “Studio ’69” box set and also on “Nine To Universe” (March 1980).

McCarty played on a number of early Bob Seger tracks, including the Top 100 single “Get Out of Denver,” which appeared on “Seven” (March 1974). This was the first album featuring the Silver Bullet Band. McCarty was offered the guitarist position in the band and turned it down because he was committed to the Rockets.

In February 2006, McCarty added award-winning songwriter to his resume when Les Paul received a Grammy for “Les Paul and Friends: American Made, World Played,” which included a cover of “69 Freedom Special,” an instrumental co-written by McCarty while in the Buddy Miles Express.

Revered among Gibson enthusiasts, McCarty was interviewed for Guitar Player in 2006 when he participated in a Cactus reunion. The band is slated for a fall tour this year with McCarty and original drummer Carmine Appice.

In an August 2006 interview on VH1 Classic, Ted Nugent remarked, “I’m the only guy in rock ‘n’ roll that plays that hollow body jazz guitar and it’s because in 1960 I saw Jimmy McCarty creating those big fat full chords like I do on ‘Stranglehold’; I learned that from Jimmy McCarty. Remember the name Jimmy McCarty. He is as important as Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry and Les Paul … a god on guitar.

On Sept. 25, 2010, McCarty was inducted into the Canada South Blues Society “Living Blues Museum” in Windsor, Ontario. In 2014 he received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Detroit Blues Society.

McCarty currently uses a 2006 Les Paul played through a ’66 Fender Pro Reverb; he also uses a ’64 Fender Twin.

Visit www.jimmccartyandfriends.com for more information.