Jim West (guitarist)
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" "Kimo" West is a guitarist
best known for working with the singer-songwriter
"Weird Al" Yankovic
. West auditioned for Yankovic, after being introduced by Steve Jay
, and the two have worked together ever since. West can be heard and seen on all of Yankovic's albums, videos, and concerts.
West is also a composer for TV and film and produced a number of CDs for independent artists. He has released four solo slack-key guitar
albums. He performs regularly at festivals and concerts.
. He started playing guitar at age 12, and by age 16 was playing professionally in various Florida rock bands, including at least one with Steve Jay. He came to Los Angeles
in the early eighties, where Jay introduced him to Yankovic. West still lives in the Los Angeles area, but spends several months a year in Hawaii
. He retains his Canadian citizenship.
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
best known for working with the singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
"Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
. West auditioned for Yankovic, after being introduced by Steve Jay
Steve Jay
Eugene Stephen "Steve" Jay is a bass guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic.Jay was born in Florida. He auditioned for Yankovic after answering an ad in the newspaper, and the two have worked together ever since...
, and the two have worked together ever since. West can be heard and seen on all of Yankovic's albums, videos, and concerts.
West is also a composer for TV and film and produced a number of CDs for independent artists. He has released four solo slack-key guitar
Slack-key guitar
Slack-key guitar is a fingerstyle genre of guitar music that originated in Hawaii. Its name refers to its characteristic open tunings: the English term is a translation of the Hawaiian kī hōalu, which means "loosen the [tuning] key"...
albums. He performs regularly at festivals and concerts.
Biography
Born in Toronto, Ontario on December 18, 1953, West grew up in Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. He started playing guitar at age 12, and by age 16 was playing professionally in various Florida rock bands, including at least one with Steve Jay. He came to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the early eighties, where Jay introduced him to Yankovic. West still lives in the Los Angeles area, but spends several months a year in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He retains his Canadian citizenship.
With Weird Al
- "Weird Al" Yankovic In 3-D"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D is the second studio album by American signer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on February 28, 1984, by Rock 'n Roll Records. The album was one of many produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer...
- Dare To Be StupidDare to Be StupidDare to Be Stupid is the third studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1985. The album was one of many produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer...
- Polka Party!Polka Party!Polka Party! is the fourth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1986. The album is the third of Yankovic's to be produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer...
- Even WorseEven WorseEven Worse is the fifth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1988. The album was the fifth produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer...
- UHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack And Other StuffUHF - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other StuffUHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff is the sixth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. The album featured many music cuts from the film as well as some of the commercials and other parody bits...
- Off The Deep EndOff the Deep EndOff the Deep End is the seventh studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1992. This album was the first album self-produced by Yankovic, after six albums with Rick Derringer. Recorded between June 1990 and January 1992, the album was a follow-up to the unsuccessful soundtrack to Yankovic's...
- AlapaloozaAlapaloozaAlapalooza is the eighth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1993. The cover sleeve is a spoof on the movie poster of the hit movie Jurassic Park. The name is a parody of the music festival Lollapalooza....
- Bad Hair DayBad Hair DayBad Hair Day is the 9th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1996. This album was the third studio album self-produced by Yankovic. The musical styles on Bad Hair Day are built around parodies and pastiches pop and rock music of the mid 1990s, targeting alternative rock and hip-hop...
- Running With ScissorsRunning with Scissors (album)Running with Scissors is the 10th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 29, 1999. The album contains the hit single "The Saga Begins", a parody of Don McLean's song "American Pie".-Details:...
- Poodle HatPoodle HatPoodle Hat is the Grammy Award-winning 11th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on May 20, 2003 on Volcano Records. The album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200. The album was released on an Enhanced CD...
- Straight Outta LynwoodStraight Outta LynwoodStraight Outta Lynwood is the 12th studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It was released on September 26, 2006 in the U.S. by Volcano, on September 30, 2006 in Australia, on October 3 in Canada, on October 6, 2006 in New Zealand, November 13, 2006 in the United Kingdom, and November 24, 2006 in...
- AlpocalypseAlpocalypseAlpocalypse is the thirteenth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 21, 2011. It is his first studio release in almost five years, following the release of Straight Outta Lynwood in 2006. It is also his first studio album since 1989's UHF – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and...
Solo Albums
- Coconut Hat
- "Nurturing the Garden - commission for the National Tropical Botanical GardenNational Tropical Botanical GardenThe National Tropical Botanical Garden is a group that sponors preservation of plants native to the tropics in a network of botanical gardens and preserves.-History:...
on Kaua'i - Slack Key West
- The Hawaiian Tribute To Sublime: Livin's EZ
- Hotel Honolulu - The Hawaiian Tribute to the Eagles
- "Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar-Kimo Style"
- Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas
Producer
- "Eia Mai Ka La" by Kapo Ku
- Lily Wilson by Lily Wilson
- Jose Can U See? by Bill Dana
- The Enchanted Forest
- Broken by Cynthia Clawson
- The Koolanesian Heart by Norm Compton
External links
- http://www.jimkimowest.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/jimkimowest
- http://www.westernmostmusic.com/
- http://www.weirdal.com/
- Jim West entry on Dean Guitars website