Jim is a singer-songwriter-guitarist and former stand-up comedian, a native of Morgantown, West Virginia. He began to play guitar during his college days in the early 1970s, incorporated music into his act as a professional comedian in the 1980s and launched into the "restaurant-coffeehouse" scene in the 1990s.

Jim has a strong voice and is a very versatile guitarist who plays with a unique touch and in various open tunings. His favorite styles include folk, pre-war Delta slide, blues, classic-country and acoustic rock. His original songs are mostly humorous and his parody "Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun" is always well received. His act features improvisational exchanges with the audience. Like the squirrels, Jim just wants to have fun! He collects vintage stringed instruments and typically uses a 1934 National Steel resonator guitar and a 1932 Gibson L-00 on stage.

In addition to shows in night clubs and ski resorts, his comedy pursuits landed him jobs on stage as an opening act for many musicians including: Steven Stills, Leon Redbone, Leon Russell and Edgar Winter; as well as with Jay Leno, Roseanne, Jerry Seinfeld and numerous other well-known comics. During this time, Jim enjoyed living in the mountains near Boulder, Colorado. He has now returned to the hills of West Virginia, and we're always happy to have him visit with us at the BrazenHead Inn.