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			December 26, 2003

Jimmy Ibbotson, guitarist/songwriter

This young man's journey to the late 60's haze of Southern California to make it in the music business was the beginning of an American Dream. Twenty year old Jimmy Ibbotson set out from Indiana looking for the big time. After a few auditions and waiting for opportunity to knock, it finally did.

Coming out of their 1968 breakup, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Jeff Hanna and John McEuen decided to reform and find a singing drummer. Their search lead them to a nervous Ibbotson, so shocked initially at the invitation that he closed the door on them for a few minutes. After the shock wore off and rehearsals started, they came out with their 5th album Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy,featuring Ibbotson, and bringing them their biggest success to date.

AIX Records Product:

John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson

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Jim spearheaded their new direction and had luckily brought his entire record collection at the time with him from the East Coast - the 45 single of jerry Jeff Walker's Mr. Bojangles(under the spare tire in the trunk). Deciding Jim was singing enough on the new album, Jeff choose to sing lead on Bojangles (but "Ibby" does sing the lead on the last two verses, as Jeff could sing higher harmony). Ibbotson had the second top 10 hit off the album with House At Pooh Corner, and the band was on their way to make American Music History.

After a five-year sabbatical in the late 70's wandering the Colorado Rockies, John recruited Jim to join the Dirt Band's launch into the country market. Their first top ten country hit Dance Little Jean came from Ibbotson's own pen. Many of the #1 chart song of the NGDB Ibboston sang, including Jim's own High Horse), and he wrote and/or sang many of the "anthems" of the band.

A talent for writing doesn't stop with song lyrics, "Ibby" (as he likes to be called has an online column that keeps his readers on the edge of their seats with anticipation for the next installment. Whether they would understand the meaning of the story from this recent Honorary Doctorate recipient was part of the lure into his elusive electrifying life.

Ibbotson's voice is often credited with gibing new country music a direction to model after, an honor he appreciates, as he spent many years trying to emulate his idols to learn his craft. Jim is gifted with that special something that allows one to turn craft into art, with man of his newer songs thought to be his best work.

With the NGDB's 27 albums, Jim has received accolades that include: Grammy, CMA, ACM, gold and platinum records. Ibbotson's songs have been recorded by John Denver, Emmylou Harris, and others, as his musical diversity stretches will beyond the Dirt Band. Various solo and special projects include the perennial regional hit Colorado Christmas,penned by the late Steve Goodman.

With memory for lyrics unparalleled, Jimmy and John often do a 2-3 hour set of songs they have recorded together (drawing from 24 albums) and other favorites, leaving the audience dazzled by the breadth of their material and ability to bring it our. Jim's solo and collaborative albums display an eclectic talent and an energy with unlimited bounds, as does their new release": John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson Ð Stories and Songs (Planetary Records).

The son of a "preacher man", Ibbotson seems to have acquired that ability to speak from a stream of consciousness fashion (possibly influenced by his close friend, neighbor an late night hang out buddy Dr. Hunter Thompson). He carries to the stage an excitement and love of performing stories of his home in Woody Creek, Colorado. On stage, Jim is a one man band, playing kick drum, snare, high hat, guitar, and singing...all at the same time! He peppers his performance with stories and unpredictable anecdotes from his 30 years as a renowned road performer.

Words to songs do not just cross this entertainer's lips as he performs for the audience; his whole body accentuates the depth of the lyric and melody. A true troubadour in the modern sense, Ibbotson's desire to leave the audience with a hot night to remember is evident to anyone lucky enough to catch a magical performance.

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