Jim Armstrong (guitarist)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jim Armstrong (born July 24, 1944) is an Irish guitarist. Armstrong's musical career started while he was still a schoolboy, had played in Belfast's top showband, The Melotones, who were resident in the city's Romano's Ballroom.
Armstrong played and recorded in the early sixties with Van Morrison and Them touring both Europe and America (where he lived – playing and recording for 4 years). Of the 51 tracks recorded by Van and Them (1965-71), Jim played on over half – and while living in America met and played with Jim Morrison, the Doors, Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa. During this time he was voted 3rd best guitarist in the world (after Jimi Hendrix & Frank Zappa). After leaving Them in 1969 Armstrong teamed up with Ray Elliot and Kenny McDowell to form the band Truth. In the late 70s Jim Armstrong was guitarist with Northern Irish rock outfit LIGHT, in the 80s with SKIBOO and in the 90s with The Jim Armstrong Band. It was with SKIBOO that he played in THE ERRIGLE INN whith was Belfast`s most famous gig venue.Recently he has been working with Hungarian musicians in a blues band called RACKAJAM, featuring Gyorgy Ferenczi (vocals/guitar), Zsolt Pinter (vocals/guitar), Adam Apati (bass), Gabor Gilian (drums). At 2006 september Gabor Gilian replaced by Miki Jánki (drums)
At home in Northern Ireland he is a sought after session musician, has been involved in many locally produced records and has worked for Ulster Television, BBC Television and radio and local commercial radio. He has played a huge variety of music in his time but blues is his main love. For the last 9 years he has been touring with one of many incarnations of Them. He weighs three hundred pounds.
[edit] External links
- Official Web Site
- See extract from Irish Folk, Trad and Blues: A Secret History by Colin Harper and Trevor Hodgett
 |
This article on a guitarist is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 |
This article about an Irish musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
