Click
here to view Playlist , Discography, Reviews and Influences
Jim (Crawdaddy) Crawford
Jim
started out in the music business as a ‘roadie’ for Morgan Davis
and David Wilcox from 1974 – l976. It was during this period that he began to take an interest
in the slide guitar. He
started playing a Magnatone Lap Steel Guitar that Morgan had given
him and later a “National” steel guitar and began to learn the
‘Hank Williams’ steel guitar player – Don Helms’ style of
playing.
Jim
was honored when he was invited to play on stage one evening with
David, Morgan and Donnie Walsh, a memory he says he’ll cherish
forever.
During
this period Jim heard the album Dueling Banjo’s and If
I’d Only Come and Gone by The Earl Scruggs Revue. He was captivated by the Dobro he heard played by Uncle Josh
Graves. These two
albums literally changed his life.
Jim
met Josh
Graves in 1974 and the two became great friends. Josh
lived in Madison, Tennessee and played in Ontario quite a bit in the
late 70's, early 80's. Jim took advantage of that opportunity
and went to as many shows as he could. They traveled and played gigs
in the Ottawa, Chattam, Quebec, Sault Ste. Marie, Toronto and
Peterborough area to name a few. Josh always encouraged him onstage to watch and learn.
You learn mighty fast when Uncle Josh introduces you and tells you
to take the next break!
He
spent many of his summer vacations traveling through the Southern
states with Josh and later found a home away from home in Bush,
Louisiana where he played with bands such as Buford Johnson and
Poverty Hill
Buford Johnson, Mandolin/Vocals,
Bill Russell, Guitar/Vocals, Teri Hillyard, Upright
Bass/Vocals, Jim (Big Fish) Calvin, Fiddle, Guitar, Banjo
and Jim Crawford, Dobro.
Many
a night was spent around the campfire at the Five Lakes Pickin’
Parlour, playing with The Virginia Squires, Bobby Smith and the
Boys from Shiloh, Doyle Lawson, Rags Barnes, and The Cox Family,
to name a few.
Jim
was grateful to have been able to hang out in Nashville and meet and
play with some of the greatest pioneers of Bluegrass Music such as Bill
Monroe, Mac Wiseman, Brother Oswald, Joe Stewart, Benny Martin and John Hartford.
Many
hours were also spent sitting around Josh’s kitchen table with his
wife Evelyn and Jim’s wife Sherry. He will always be forever grateful for the life
experiences that he encountered while traveling with Josh and even
more for the years of encouragement and friendship.
Jim
traveled to Tennessee in 2001 to record a long overdue album with
his hero Josh Graves. The
finished product ‘Down
South’ is a CD that Jim is very proud of and will treasure
forever. Copies are
available for purchase.
Throughout the years Jim continued to become
skilled at his instrument, listening to other Dobro players such as
Jerry Douglas and Mike Auldridge, players who were also
influenced by Uncle Josh.
Sadly,
Uncle Josh passed away in the fall of 2006.
He
is greatly missed by all. He touched the lives of so many up and
coming young artists with his kindness and willingness to share his
musical talents that his legacy will go on forever in their music.
Back in Ontario, Jim has formed and played with several bands over
the years such as:
Highrise -
Jim Crawford, Dobro/Vocals, Walter Bent, Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals,
Mike Caron, Upright Bass, Stan Caru, Mandolin/Vocals
and Joan Gray, Banjo/Vocals.
Strange Creek - Jim Crawford , Dobro, Al Skinner Banjo, Walter Bent,
Guitar, Claude Wedge, Mandolin and Mike Caron, Bass
Their
‘hard driving’ Traditional and Original Bluegrass tunes kept audiences entertained for over l0 years
from the early 80’s through to the early 90’s performing at
several venues in East York and Downtown Toronto. They also kept
toes tapping in the Bluegrass Festival Circuit as well as backing up
Mac Wiseman at the Markham Truck Show in the early 90’s.
Jim
also enjoyed playing a short time with Gypsy Grass,
Jon Hanko, Fiddle/Vocals, Diane Hanko, Guitar/Vocals,
Jim Crawford, Dobro, Mike Caron, Upright Bass.
In
1990 Jim was presented with the “Dobro Player of the Year” award
at the Bluegrass Award Show in Lindsay, Ontario.
Other
bands such as, The Bluecheese Brothers, Jim Crawford, Dobro/Vocals,
Steve Fehrenbach, Banjo, Lynda Bachorz, Upright Bass, Mark
Terry, Guitar/vocals. Traditionally Aged, Jim
Crawford, Dobro/vocals, Tom Flockhart, Guitar/vocals,
Dennis Gauthier, Mandolin, Mark
Terry, Upright Bass, Phil
Anderson, Banjo.
The ll5, Jim Crawford, Dobro/Vocals,
Walter Bent, Guitar/vocals, Lynda Bachorz, Upright Bass , Steve
Fehrenbach, Banjo/Vocals/Guitar.
and most recently Crawdaddy
Pie, Jim Crawford, Dobro/Vocals, Tom Flockhart,
Guitar/Vocals, Lynda Bachorz, Upright Bass. have also contributed to
Jim becoming a respected musician in the Peterborough area playing such venues as
the
Festival of Lights, Aaron Pub, The Rusty Snail and private functions.
On several occasions he has enjoyed sitting in with the Electric
City Ramblers
at the Red Dog and the Randy
Perry Band at the
Black Horse Pub.
