Jimmy Thackery said “I will hope
to have left a body of work that some may remember for 10 minutes.
... I just wish my dogs would take me seriously.”
Guitarist Jimmy Thackery has been a driving
force in blues for over 45 years, first as a Nighthawk, then as an Assassin.
But for the last quarter century, Thackery has fronted the Drivers,
a band named after a function he’s never performed in a vehicle.
“I’m
not sure how I managed to miss that all important window of the coming
of age as it pertains to the act of driving a car,” Thackery
said by email last week from his Belize residence.
“At
some point, I became aware that I was over 40 years old with no driver’s
license and thought it was a better idea to forget about it altogether
than to attempt to learn. At 65, I’m still thinking along those
lines.”
Thackery
took Drivers’ Ed in school and had every intention of clearing
that hurdle, but then got serious about playing in a band at about
the same time. Someone’s Mom was always available to load up
the family station wagon with band gear and transport the fledgling
band to a gig. He somehow avoided that chore through his 14-year stint
with the ’Hawks and his five years with the Assassins.
“When
I had gone off on my own, a member of the new group was chosen by
default and distance to pick me up and drop me off after gigs or rehearsals,
much to his chagrin,” Thackery said. “He suggested that
I call my new endeavor The Drivers.”
The
Drivers were initially a trio, but saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter joined
the group in 1999, adding a new dimension to the sound.
“He’d
been a sparse trio since the Assassins, which was a band of excess.
He went completely the other way,” Carpenter said, who worked
with Thackery until 2014 as tour manager and saxophonist, recording
on “Sinner Street,” the Eddie Hinton tribute “We Got
It,” “True Stories” and “Whiskey Store Live.”
“He
covers a lot of ground,” Carpenter said in an 2001 interview
when he was still with the band, postulating that the addition of
the sax takes some of the pressure off Thackery. “He can play
rhythm, which he likes. I kinda play the straight man to him, sorta
set him up.”
Thackery
remembers Carpenter fondly.
“Carpenter
and I had some very good times playing some pretty good stuff,”
he said. “I’ve played with some very good saxophone players
along the way, and he is one of the best.”
Just
after Carpenter departed, Thackery recorded 2005’s “Healin’
Ground” in Nashville with producer/guitarist/singer Gary Nicholson.
It was a difficult endeavor, with the duo committing to writing, recording
and mixing the project in two weeks with a different co-writer for
each session. Thackery had grown accustomed to having the sax round
out the sound, but Nicholson convinced him that although they both
loved what the sax brought to the band, it also could date the material
the two were trying to come up with.
“He
really launched me back into the trio format with that record, and
it was soon afterwards that I came to the realization that the trio
had always been what I fall back into,” Thackery said. “There
is something about that ‘power of three’ thing that just
fits better.” ~
Outside
Influence
July 2017
Story by Phil Reser (Enjoy
Magazine)
Photo courtesy of Jimmy Thackery
Blues singer, guitarist and songwriter Jimmy Thackery combines elements
of Nashville twang, swing, surf, hard rock and frequent excursions
into the world of jazz and still comes up with a sound that is distinctly
the blues.
“I
think, like any blues musician, I knew the moment it hit me over the
head like a baseball bat. I was at the playground at school fooling
with a transistor radio when Slim Harpo came on with a crossover hit
called ‘Scratch My Back.’ That was the moment.
“I
also remember the first Rolling Stones album was all blues covers.
I thought they were Stones songs but as I looked at the credits, I
saw names like Ella Bates and McKinley Morganfield. I went on a search
for records by these guys, but I couldn’t find anything until
someone told me Daniels and Morganfield were Bo Diddley and Muddy
Waters. So I found their records and it was all over.”
As
a teenager growing up in Washington, D.C., Thackery saw Buddy Guy
play in a small church, and the gig had a huge effect on him, though
not as big as that of seeing Jimi Hendrix’s first official show
in the United States.
He
cites Chicago axe master Otis Rush as a primary influence. Moreover,
along the way, he learned quite a bit from playing on stage alongside
such blues legends as Muddy Waters, James Cotton and Luther “Guitar
Junior” Johnson.
“Everybody
I ever listened to were influences in one way or the other. Even if
it was just figuring out what not to do. That’s the way I think
you have to approach it, you have to take what you can from everybody’s
performance, whether it be a positive or a negative.”
Thackery
spent 14 years touring the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan
with the Nighthawks, a legendary blues and roots rock ensemble. He
was the heart, soul and adrenaline of the Nighthawks sound, having
created a distinctively raw, powerful guitar style and establishing
a reputation as a dynamic soloist.
After
leaving the Nighthawks in 1986, he formed Jimmy Thackery & the
Assassins, which toured and recorded three albums before disbanding
in 1991. The Assassins at one time included six horns and up to 13
members, including backup singers. Thackery says he reached a point
where the band was too large to handle. “The logistics of trying
to travel were too difficult, and it was hard to keep harmony.”
He
then formed the trio Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers, which continues
to play blues festivals and clubs and record his original songs, a
mainstay of the current blues world.
“My
bands have always played hot-rod stuff, up-tempo blues, not the slow
down, cry-in-your-beer music. Even the old-time blues musicians, when
they played at a roadhouse or wherever they congregated on a Saturday
night after slavery, went crazy. They played songs about losing their
wives or girlfriends or losing all their money and their house. The
beat was so infectious. These guys drew down, so it was a whole layer
getting those demons out, you know. So we’re trying to do the
same thing. We’re up there trying to help people forget whatever
happened during the week.”
Thackery
has released 15 albums on the Blind Pig and Telarc labels. Eight of
his releases reached the top 15 on Billboard’s Blues charts.
After Telarc, Jimmy became independent and started his own label,
White River Records, which has released five titles, including his
most recent album, “Spare Keys,” an all-original album with
six instrumentals and six tunes with vocals. The instrumentals highlight
Thackery’s vast styles, influenced by his interest in all varieties
of music, from classical to slack-key to country to rock and tropical
rock.
“I
find that by listening to classical music or old jazz, like Django
Reinhardt, some slack-key music by Ledward Kaapana or something like
that, that kind of stuff, that melodic thread, sparks my creative
juices more than listening to John Lee Hooker or even Muddy Waters
anymore. I’ve spent almost a lifetime listening to that stuff,
trying to learn how to play it. Now I’m trying to figure out
how to inject melody into it.”
Jimmy
Thackery and the Drivers with Gina Sicilia
Saturday, July 22, World Records Showcase Theater in Bakersfield
Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers :: SPARE KEYS
Posted: Sep 08, 2016 Latest Blues News, Music
Jimmy
Thackery
has made his career as a musician for over 40 years, traveling the
globe from big festivals to everyone’s favorite neighborhood
bars. A true professional musician, Jimmy gives his audience his best
each and every performance, respecting and appreciating his fans along
the way. His music reaches people’s lives in personal and profound
ways, as witnessed by the touching messages he receives during and
after each tour.
Spare
Keys is an all-original album, with six instrumentals and six tunes
with vocals. These songs use all the keys available on guitar, running
the gamut from soulful blues in “Blues All Night,” to heart-wrenching
blues in “I Even Lost the Blues” and “You Can’t
Come Back.” His rock roots shine in “Puttin’ the Word
Out” and “Fightin’ in the Jungle,” which also
features howler monkeys recorded at the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins in
Belize.
The
instrumentals highlight Thackery’s vast styles, influenced by
his interest in all varieties of music from classical to slack-key
to country to rock and tropical rock. “Candy Apple Red”
is an upbeat melody repeated from the Strat to baritone guitar, and
slowing down a bit, “Same Page On Demand” will wow you with
some powerful, minor chords. For one that melts your worries away,
descend into the dreamy “Bella Noche,” guaranteed to soothe
your soul on a continuous basis.
“The
Barber’s Guitar” has an interesting story, for those of
you who like to know where some inspiration for writing is found.
Jimmy saw an old guitar propped in a corner of his regular barber
shop, and asked the barber if he would like him to fix it up for him.
Of course, the answer was an enthusiastic ‘yes,’ so it was
gifted with fresh strings, a new homemade nut, a straightened neck
and tuned. When the time came for a Thackery test run, an unfamiliar
song spontaneously took over his hands, and “The Barber’s
Guitar” was born. Jimmy believes every instrument has a song
inside, waiting to shine, and somehow this one was a thankful return
for being cared for and pampered!
The
Drivers on this CD are Rick Knapp on bass and Chris Reddan and George
Sheppard splitting the drum tracks. Chris came along on tour when
George had emergency shoulder surgery in 2015, so he sat in the drum
chair for the first recording session, and George finished out upon
his return. The recording, mixing and mastering took place at Tony’s
Treasures in Cadiz, OH.
If
you don’t have a set of spare keys hidden away somewhere, this
is your important safety tip reminder.
The album is available on disc or by download at CD Baby, iTunes,
Amazon or at jimmythackery.com.
Outside
Influence
July 2017
Story by Phil Reser (Enjoy
Magazine)
Photo courtesy of Jimmy Thackery
Blues singer, guitarist and songwriter Jimmy Thackery
combines elements of Nashville twang, swing, surf, hard
rock and frequent excursions into the world of jazz
and still comes up with a sound that is distinctly the
blues.
“I
think, like any blues musician, I knew the moment it
hit me over the head like a baseball bat. I was at the
playground at school fooling with a transistor radio
when Slim Harpo came on with a crossover hit called
‘Scratch My Back.’ That was the moment.
“I
also remember the first Rolling Stones album was all
blues covers. I thought they were Stones songs but as
I looked at the credits, I saw names like Ella Bates
and McKinley Morganfield. I went on a search for records
by these guys, but I couldn’t find anything until
someone told me Daniels and Morganfield were Bo Diddley
and Muddy Waters. So I found their records and it was
all over.”
As
a teenager growing up in Washington, D.C., Thackery
saw Buddy Guy play in a small church, and the gig had
a huge effect on him, though not as big as that of seeing
Jimi Hendrix’s first official show in the United
States.
He
cites Chicago axe master Otis Rush as a primary influence.
Moreover, along the way, he learned quite a bit from
playing on stage alongside such blues legends as Muddy
Waters, James Cotton and Luther “Guitar Junior”
Johnson.
“Everybody
I ever listened to were influences in one way or the
other. Even if it was just figuring out what not to
do. That’s the way I think you have to approach
it, you have to take what you can from everybody’s
performance, whether it be a positive or a negative.”
Thackery
spent 14 years touring the United States, Europe, Canada
and Japan with the Nighthawks, a legendary blues and
roots rock ensemble. He was the heart, soul and adrenaline
of the Nighthawks sound, having created a distinctively
raw, powerful guitar style and establishing a reputation
as a dynamic soloist.
After
leaving the Nighthawks in 1986, he formed Jimmy Thackery
& the Assassins, which toured and recorded three
albums before disbanding in 1991. The Assassins at one
time included six horns and up to 13 members, including
backup singers. Thackery says he reached a point where
the band was too large to handle. “The logistics
of trying to travel were too difficult, and it was hard
to keep harmony.”
He
then formed the trio Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers,
which continues to play blues festivals and clubs and
record his original songs, a mainstay of the current
blues world.
“My
bands have always played hot-rod stuff, up-tempo blues,
not the slow down, cry-in-your-beer music. Even the
old-time blues musicians, when they played at a roadhouse
or wherever they congregated on a Saturday night after
slavery, went crazy. They played songs about losing
their wives or girlfriends or losing all their money
and their house. The beat was so infectious. These guys
drew down, so it was a whole layer getting those demons
out, you know. So we’re trying to do the same thing.
We’re up there trying to help people forget whatever
happened during the week.”
Thackery
has released 15 albums on the Blind Pig and Telarc labels.
Eight of his releases reached the top 15 on Billboard’s
Blues charts. After Telarc, Jimmy became independent
and started his own label, White River Records, which
has released five titles, including his most recent
album, “Spare Keys,” an all-original album
with six instrumentals and six tunes with vocals. The
instrumentals highlight Thackery’s vast styles,
influenced by his interest in all varieties of music,
from classical to slack-key to country to rock and tropical
rock.
“I
find that by listening to classical music or old jazz,
like Django Reinhardt, some slack-key music by Ledward
Kaapana or something like that, that kind of stuff,
that melodic thread, sparks my creative juices more
than listening to John Lee Hooker or even Muddy Waters
anymore. I’ve spent almost a lifetime listening
to that stuff, trying to learn how to play it. Now I’m
trying to figure out how to inject melody into it.”
Jimmy
Thackery and the Drivers with Gina Sicilia
Saturday, July 22, World Records Showcase Theater in
Bakersfield
Jimmy
Thackery & The Drivers perform live in South Florida,
with special guest JP Soars, on Edition 235 of
Blues Radio International, with Junior Wells, Buddy
Guy, and Ella Fitzgerald.
May
24, 2016
Gearing
up for the next run folks!
Cleveland
is up first with a return to the fabulous BEACHLAND
BALLROOM. It's been a while since we've been there,
so spread the word. Rumor has it that my old pal,
Tom Shaper and his band, are doing a set in front,
and I'd bet there will be a little jamming later if
that's the deal.
Then, we motor over to THE MOTOR CITY and make a stop
at CALLAHAN'S in Auburn Hills. Ever since recording
our live CD there, we have had a joyful anticipation
of playing Cally's .Great sound and not a bad seat
in the house!
PITTSBURGH next folks. MOONDOGS is still a favorite
stop, and we always look forward to the fine food
at the STARLIGHT RESTAURANT, which has the World's
biggest and bestest perogies anywhere!
Planning a few days at our long time favorite studio,
TONY's TREASURES in eastern Ohio. We will hopefully
finish a new CD project we started last year and will
be sure to let everyone on the newsletter list know
the minute the recording is available.
A
quick touchdown in WASHINGTON DC at GYPSY SALLY'S
where Cathy Ponton King will open the show with Hammond
B3 player extraordinaire, Sam Palladino and another
old friend on bass--Jan Zukowski will be there, and
we haven't crossed paths in….forever! Should
be a gas! DURHAM,NORTH CAROLINA at THE BLUE NOTE will
be next up and then, on to points south.
Now, folks…. this next one is very special to
me personally. After nearly forty years, end of an
era is finally at hand. Since 1973, THE DOUBLE DOOR
INN in CHARLOTTE has been home to the greatest blues
and rock n' roll acts to ever hit a lick. Everyone
has played there. Even Clapton!I started there as
a young NIGHTHAWK in 1976 or '77! My dear friend Nick,
benevolent owner and close personal pal, has come
to the end of his road there, and though he probably
would have stayed, the City of Charlotte had other
ideas. The whole area will be redeveloped soon, and
my oldest musical "home" will be closed
for good. I'm sure all the musicians and fans have
the same bittersweet feeling about this turn of events,
but all great things come to an end, and so we bid
a fond farewell to the old place. Sadly, that said...this
will be my last show at THE DOUBLE DOOR. I'm really
hoping everyone that's ever even seen a show there
over the decades will come out to say "Thanks"
to Nick and the whole crew and enjoy one last Drivers
show at the famous DOUBLE DOOR INN! The club will
be doing live music up till the very end of 2016,
so come anytime, but please come out for our last
one, folks….it will mean a lot!
We
will pull ourselves together then, and head towards
the famous BRADFORDVILLE BLUES CLUB in the woods outside
of TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. There is something about
that place. Everyone says the same thing! It just
rocks like crazy! Maybe because it's so secluded or,
maybe it is the ghosts of blues men past, but it has
a vibe that just can't be beat. Oh! And don't forget
the fried catfish! Best in the state.
Over east to Old Town SANFORD, FLORIDA, and THE ALLEY.
Let's pack this one, folks, it has the right mojo
workin'! Next up is
STUART, FLORIDA, and a place lots of folks have started
playing and is really doing well for them called,
TERRA FERMATA. Rick's hometown gig!
On
down 95 to BOCA RATON to pair up with J.P. SOARS and
his RED HOTS at THE FUNKY BISCUIT. Another stellar
room with great sound and wonderful Gulf Style eats!
Come early and grab a seat and stay for the last set
jam! This will kill! I promise.
KEY
LARGO, FLORIDA, and the BAYSIDE GRILLE is a new territory
for us, so we hope you all migrate south with us and
give them a good showing. And, finally, the matinee
at our favorite Sunday gig anywhere, EARLS HIDEAWAY
in SEBASTIAN BEACH, FLORIDA. This crowd gets bigger
and more into the music every time, and we always
throw down extra hard. Since it will be THE END OF
THE TOUR PARTY, it will be extra throw down deluxe!
Remember
to ask your friends to sign up for this newsletter
and forward it on at the easy share button. When the
new CD is available, you'll get first shot at it.
REMEMBER THE DOUBLE DOOR! And we'll see you at your
local spot!
Safe driving is a must!
Jimmy
Oct 15, 2015
In The Mail - From Bill Matthews of the National Forest
Service
Hey Jimmy ... Attached is a couple pictures of a prehistoric
archaeological site I found today at 9,700 feet in
the Cloud Peak Wilderness. I named the site Smokin’
Joe Kubek in honor of him. Once I write up the site
report, this site will be added to the Smithsonian
database and will remain on the Archaeological records
forever. All the orange flags are artifacts and, as
you can see, it is in a beautiful location. It’s
the least I can do.
Stay
strong brother!
Bill
Oct
12, 2015 - RIP JOE KUBEK
In loving memory of a great Bluesman and the
best pal ever.
~
Rest In Peace, Brother Joe ~
A
view from the road!
________________________________________________
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The new CD entitled, WIDE OPEN
is now available for purchase!
Hard
copies and digital downloads are available on iTunes,
Amazon, and all your favorite delivery outlets. We've
worked diligently on this new music, to write, arrange,
record, produce, package and deliver to you folks,
our friends and family.
Work
began on this project in 2012 at Tony's Treasures
in Cadiz, Ohio, our favorite studio to work in these
days. Two of the tracks, Hard Luck Man and Someone
Who's Crying Tonight were loaded onto iTunes for download
only, while the other tracks from that session remained
in the giant vault at Tony's Treasures Studios. These
two tunes have had a remix to blend with the new songs
a bit more.
2013
proved to be a very busy year for me, personally,
as we relocated far from Busch, Arkansas, where Ms.Sally
and I had lived for ten years.
I spent the winter months in an exotic new setting
in my little demo recording studio, writing, reworking
and polishing material for the new session. All of
the songs were mixed and then e-mailed to the band
to scrutinize and learn. It was April of this year
when things became conducive to finishing up the project
and to get the real studio versions recorded. As usual,
Mark and Cody had everything at the studio tweaked
and ready to rock.
We
set up George's drums in the" big room"
to get an open room sound for him. I used a little
different set up this time, utilizing some rooms newly
constructed upstairs as isolation booths for guitar.
Working in a stereo format, the guitar signals were
separated and fed back to the control room where I
was free to use the same monitor speakers as the engineer
and not have to rely on headphones. I've always found
them to be a bit cumbersome, and they don't give me
the sound reproduction that the studio monitors do.
The session went by quickly (always a positive sign
that the creative "juices" are flowing),
and we mixed everything while we were still in Ohio.
We
are all very proud of this CD and hope you get as
much joy out of listening to it as we had creating
it. It is my first CD that all the songs are original,
with no cover tunes. Many emotions were involved in
these 12 songs, so I hope you enjoy the journey and
the visions I've expressed. We hope you'll order yours
today, and let us know what you think about it! When
it arrives, throw it in and let 'er rip!
Be
sure to check the upcoming dates on the tour schedule.
We will have this new disc for sale at all personal
appearances, available for signatures by all the fellers.
Sign up here for the newsletter so you'll know when
we are coming close by for a live show. Bring your
friends---we need the gas money!
See
you great folks out on the WIDE OPEN road!
JIMMY THACKERY AND THE DRIVERS
Perhaps,
if any of you good folks out there are fans of the TV series
on FX Network called JUSTIFIED,
starring Timothy Oliphant, you might have heard our tune,
TAKE MY BLUES playing during
a scene in the season premiere episode.
We were tickled that it was chosen for the broadcast and hope
to, perhaps, get played in another episode later in the season.
There is a snippet of the song on the shows website which
you can check out along with a link back to this page! Very
nice indeed!
Meanwhile, the agents are putting together another extensive
US tour that will be posted here shortly.
As always,this site is THE place for available CDs and cool
T-shirts and other stuff. Don't forget the two digital downloads
available here (see below) - as we'll as iTunes and CD BABY!
- Let us know what you think! Send us an Email: jimmythackery2@gmail.com
Order your CDs, T's and downloads today! And, by all means,
keep an eye out for live appearances in your town or nearby.
We need your support, kids! We luv ya!
~ Jimmy, Bump, and Bam-Bam ~
Sept
28, 2012
Greetings,
folks!
Yes,time for another Drivers road trip and cartoon adventure!
Latest addition to the website is an updated schedule
on our "SHOWS
PAGE" that should cover October and November.
AND! .... an added bonus! Here, just below, is a link
to download our two brand new songs:
SOMEONE
WHO'S CRYING is an old style soul ballad that
laments the sad unseen of society while HARD LUCK
MAN is a big ol' power trio rocker!
Each tune is available for a buck from iTunes or CD
Baby.
The link here will take you to the CD Baby download
site directly. Just click on SINGLE DOWNLOADS or the
link provided here.
So ... We've loaded up the truck and we are ready
to rock! Hope to see you all at the shows and, remember,
we ALWAYS
have CDs for sale at the gigs or you can order
directly from here!
And a special thanks to Mark Puskarich and Cody at
Tony's Treasures Studio for the great job of recording!
JIMMY
THACKERY THE DRIVERS featuring JP SOARS AND THE HYDRAULIC
HORNS
AS LIVE AS IT GETS - White River BLUES
REVUE MAGAZINE
Many renowned acts have graced the stages of the Legendary
Rhythm & Blues Cruises over the years, performing
sets as legendary as the cruise name itself. This
is one of them. Recorded on the floating blues lounge
atop Pacific swells in October of 2011, this matchup
consisting of Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers and JP
Soars & the Hydraulic Horns is a 2-CD set of blazing
guitar and saxophone fronted blues. Thackery, the
veteran D. C. blues icon, exchanges scorching licks
with JP Soars in a fine display of camaraderie and
showmanship throughout.
For the unaware, Soars, along with his band The Red
Hots, won first place in the International Blues Challenge
in Memphis in 2009. Known for proficiency in multiple
genres, Soars also won the distinguished Albert King
Award for most promising guitarist. So the addition
of JP Soars to the Jimmy Thackery trio is exciting
enough. Add to the mix the tenor sax of Joe McGlohon
and the baritone of Jim Spake and you've got a fully
charged blues event.
A show highlight is Thackery's slow blues "Blind
Man in the Night," originally from his Feel The
Heat album. The intense number features searing guitar
notes amid Thackery's throaty emotional vocal performance.
Thackery's own "Kickin' Chicken" brings
the first CD to a rollicking jump blues instrumental
close. The focus is on the whole band in this one.
There's a few traditional titles performed in a hard
driving blues style. Dual sax and a familiar riff
begin a cover of Guitar Slim's "A Letter To My
Girlfriend." The New Orleans swag is augmented
by nifty six-string and horn solo exchanges. An exhilarating
sax solo begins a 16-minute slow blues cover of Muddy
Waters' "Gypsy Woman." A familiar Muddy
Waters' riff rocks the boat behind Thackery's gritty
voice in Johnny Guitar Watson's "Gangster Of
Love." The whole band kicks ass in a rollicking
version of H. E. Owens' "The Hustle (Is On)."
J. B. Lenoir's "I've Been Down So Long"
ends the show with twenty minutes of slow blues improv,
perfect for mellowing out on the Pacific.
Jam band blues is what many of the tracks are about,
as ten-minute songs are the average. Two are close
to twenty minutes in length, giving the first CD five
songs and the second four. The songs fly off in improvisational
blues heaven, in which each performer solos without
restraint alongside The Drivers' rhythm section of
bassist Mark "Bumpy Rhodes" Bumgarner and
drummer George "Bam Bam" Sheppard. The sound
is rich and full, but it never gets excessive. The
guitars and horns execute a proper musical balance,
forefront and in the background, and they don't get
in each others' way. Thackery mentions in the CD liner
notes that nothing was added in the studio afterward.
What's heard is what was played onstage. The satisfying
music heard on this solid live album is a good display
of the pleasurable experience people get from these
blues cruises. This is what it's all about.
~ Brian D. Holland ~
Blues
411 - The Home For Blues News - Featured article "JP
Sours: Blues-Metal Mania"
