Jim Whitford

BMHOF Class of 2006

A prolific composer and performer, Jim is a Hamburg, New York, native who cut his musical teeth on garage bands with pals Mark Winsick, Peter Case and Gurf Morlix. When he moved his base of operations to Buffalo in the early 1980's, he started an R&B band called "The Desires."

The group enjoyed local success and can boast the distinction of having the Buffalo Repertory Ballet company produce a ballet based on some of their original songs! It was staged at the distinguished Katherine Cornell Theater at the University at Buffalo's Amherst campus and also at Artpark, in Lewiston. 

When The Desires broke up in 1987, Jim formed the Pine Dogs. They recorded a cassette and two cd's. Jim says they had a "pretty good run locally and regionally for a few years."

Jimmy Nails used one of Jim's songs, "Good Luck, Money and Gasoline," on his album, "Ain't No Stranger." Jim was encouraged to stretch his musical muscles and eventually recorded a solo album in 2000.

And there's more:
-"Little Honkytonks" -- The Steam Donkeys (1999, Landslide Records, Atlanta -- pedal steel) ...
-"Cryin' Out Loud" Linda McCrae (2002, Vancouver -- pedal steel) ...
-"Songs of Fred Eaglesmith" compilation of TwangOff Records (2003, Chicago -- pedal steel w/Rex Hobart) ...
-"American Songbook" The Outlyers (2003, Buffalo) ...
-"Retrodyne" Allison Pipitone (2003, Slice Records, Buffalo) ...
-"Love is a Dull Instrument" Loomer (2004, Toronto, - pedal steel)...
-"A Case for Case" a tribute to the songs of Peter Case -- (Hungry for Music, 2006 - electric bass with Mark Winsick) ...
-"Open Ended Question" Michael Meldrum (2006, Righteous Babe Records -- elec. Guitar and upright bass) ...
-"Hits and Myths" The Outlyers (2006, Buffalo).