Jim White
Tickets £13.50
Jim White is an American southern singer/songwriter.
White’s music can be loosely described as Alternative Country, but veers off in different, sometimes experimental directions with occasional nods to Tom Waits and the literary narratives of Flannery O’Connor, Cormac McCarthy, and Harry Crews. He is signed to David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label.
Jim White’s live shows, particularly when touring solo, can be characterized as off-beat, blending his playlist with open discussion with the audience, anecdotal storytelling derived from his own life experiences, all of which is typically humorous and insightful. He has stated during shows that ultimately he wishes to return to the academic field, particularly as a professor, rather than continue as a professional, touring musician. Much of this is due to his family life, which he has stated takes priority in his life and is the reason he does not like touring very much.
According to various sources, he has been a comedian, a fashion model, a boxer, a preacher, a professional surfer and a New York cab driver. His sister, Katherine Pratt, teaches at Loyola Law School.
Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus is a BBC-documentary, directed by Andrew Douglas, in which Jim White describes his idea of the rural South. The film features performances by like-minded musicians such as The Handsome Family, David Eugene Edwards of 16 Horsepower and Johnny Dowd.
White’s albums often feature collaborations. On Wrong-Eyed Jesus, folk singer Victoria Williams sings on the track “Angel-Land”; British electronica trio Morcheeba produced and played on three tracks on No Such Place. Aimee Mann, Barenaked Ladies, and jazz guitarist Bill Frisell appear on Drill a Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See which was produced by Joe Henry, Tucker Martine and Jim White himself. In an interview with David Byrne, White describes the making of the album. Jim White’s latest outing is Hellwood, a collaborative effort with Johnny Dowd, and Wille B; in 2006, the band toured throughout Europe to promote the album “Chainsaw of Life.”
