Jimmy George (band)

Jimmy George is a Canadian folk rock band from Ottawa, Canada, who combine Celtic folk with rock influences and formed in 1991.

History

The line-up through the majority of the Duke of Somerset years, recording of both albums and all videos was Eric Altman (drums, management), Joel Carlson (mandolin), Michael Eady (fiddle), Steve Donnelly (bass), Jeff Kerr (banjo), Michael "Spike" Lawson (guitar), J Todd (main vocals, acoustic guitar), and Mickey Vallee (accordion). While Todd took the majority of singing duties, other members sang harmonies and most sang lead on a song or two. The original, short-lived lineup consisted of Michael Lawson (electric guitar), Joel Carlson (mandolin), Steve Barry (vocals), Duncan Gillis (acoustic guitar/penny whistle), Rob Porter (drums), Michael Eady (fiddle), and Colin Burns (bass).

At the end of their nine-year run as house band at the Duke of Somerset pub, the band consisted of J Todd, electric guitarist Steve Donnelly, bassist George Jennings, Joel Carlson on mandolin, Jeff Kerr on banjo, Mickey Vallee on accordion, and Tom Werbowetski on drums. Other members at various times included Christine Chesser (fiddle, vocals, 1991–1992), and Vitas Paukstitis (bass, 1991).

In 1993, the band was asked to open for Spirit of the West in Peterborough and at Carleton University's Porter Hall in Ottawa. Bill Stunt, producer of CBC Radio's All In A Day program, was at the show in Ottawa and approached the band afterwards, offering to record the band's material using funding from the CBC development budget. Recording took place over the next few months at Ottawa's Sound of One Hand studio, and the album A Month of Sundays was released on Montreal's now-defunct Cargo Records later that year, with national distribution by MCA Records. Two years later the band released their follow-up record Hotel Motel, produced by Marty Jones (Furnaceface), and recorded at Sound of One Hand and Raven Street Studios.