Jim Halfpenny

Artist Information

Biography

Jim Halfpenny was born in rural Southern California in a desert farming community crisscrossed by veins of life-giving canals that brought water to an otherwise arid landscape. His high school summer days were spent driving tractor and working in the fields, often side by side with migrant farm workers and Mexican brazeros. At night he’d practice guitar and perform at parties and high school dances in the rock band where he wrote his very first songs. Considering these rootsy origins it becomes crystal clear why Jim's music is rich with earthy textures, like the soil he used to cultivate as a kid and the enduring limestone hills of Austin, Texas where he has transplanted himself.

Before the end August of 2002 Jim and his wife lived in Los Angeles, California. He had graduated from Musician’s Institute and attended UCLA to study film composition and his career as a film composer was going strong. In his twelve years of hard work in the Los Angeles film business his music credits had tallied over 25 feature film scores, dozens of movie trailers, a 13 episode series for television, a musical for the stage, and numerous published songs. His film work often encompassed musical styles ranging from rap to orchestral and everything in between. A short vacation trip to visit friends in Austin changed all of that. After returning to LA Jim and his wife sold their home, left California and bought a house and some land in the hill country outside of Austin. Two years later they built a recording studio on their property and named it Back 40 Studios.

Taking advantage of new found inspiration, one of the first projects to come out of Back 40 Studios was Jim’s debut CD, First Things First. The album was released in June of 2006 and by the end of that summer it had garnered some pretty impressive reviews in music magazines in the Austin area and abroad. “Halfpenny writes deep, thought provoking lyrics”, wrote Maria Mesa of Austin Daze magazine, “one of the better singer/songwriters to come my way.” Jim Caligiuri, of The Austin Chronicle noted in his review, “First Things First is filled with sturdy roots rock and occasional treks to Dave Matthews' space jazz.” “Highly recommended!” quoted Laura Bethell of Maverick Magazine in Kent, England. The CD soon found its way to the airwaves both locally in Austin and regionally on independent radio stations across Central Texas. Bryan Beck, morning show host at KGSR radio in Austin, introduced one of Jim’s songs by saying, "First things first, LISTEN to this CD! Jim Halfpenny writes from the heart about things we all love and fear and then puts them to a beat you can cruise to." In the spring of 2009, Severe Weather, one of the songs off the CD, made KUT radio’s first ever Texas Music Matters Playlist where it was one of only 15 songs chosen out of hundreds of submissions. Laura Slavin of KPFT FM, in Houston, also began playing Severe Weather regularly on her program and has repeatedly invited Jim to play live-on-air on her show. The Jim Halfpenny Band’s second CD, Truth Trust & Other Ghosts, was just released on June 30, 2010, but has hit the road running. After teaming up with a prominent radio promoter out of Nashville the album is currently on the national Americana (AMA) Charts and receiving airplay on radio stations ranging coast to coast. In January of 2011 radio station WWSP FM, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, included the Truth Trust & Other Ghosts track, Dandelion, on their BEST OF 2010 RELEASES list.

Over the years Jim’s music has been compared to and described as a mixture of Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Glen Phillips, The Wallflowers and Dave Matthews. He carefully balances the narrow beams between rock, pop, Americana, country and folk with the agility of an acrobat. An apparent, ever-present thread in each of his songs is what seems to be a very conscious effort to maintain lyrical integrity and musical originality. These efforts are part of what sets Jim Halfpenny’s music apart and makes it instantly recognizable. He believes that well written songs, focus and determination are the keys to ultimate success. "An old farm foreman once told me,” Jim relates, “ it takes more than just sun, water and hard work to make a living out of farming. You need to be god-awful stubborn and a little crazy too. Over the years I’ve come to realize that the music business is hell of a lot like farming."

Using lessons hard-learned from his early farming experiences, Jim continues to cultivate his music and works to grow and raise a faithful following with live performances, both with the Jim Halfpenny Band and as a solo artist. Jim and his group are currently gearing up to record their third album, which is projected for a late 2011 release. More info at www.jimhalfpennyband.com.

Instrumentation

Jim Halfpenny - mandolin, Lead Vocals
Brandon Storms - Vocals, Drums, Percussion
Hunter Dryden - Vocals, Lead Guitar
Ryan Lindsay - Bass

Discography

TRUTH TRUST & OTHER GHOSTS - Released July 30, 2010. Currently on the national AMA and RMR charts.
CD has local and national airplay on both terrestrial and internet stations. The single, Dandelion was recently included on WWSP FM radio's BEST OF 2010 RELEASES list, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

FIRST THINGS FIRST - Debut CD - Released May 1, 2006.
Track "Severe Weather" was selected by KUT Radio to be among 15 songs selected out of hundreds to be on the first ever Texas Music Matters Playlist. CD continues to get local terrestrial (central Texas) and internet airplay.

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter
• Last.fm

Audio

• Echoes
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• The Roadway
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• That's You Leavin'
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• Dandelion
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• Blue Sun
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• Pentagrams
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• Walkabout
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• First Things First
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• The Long Bar
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• Only Temporary
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Lyrics

• The Roadway
• Echoes
• That's You Leavin'
• Dandelion
• Blue Sun
• Pentagrams
• Walkabout
• First Things First
• The Long Bar
• Only Temporary

Video

The Roadway - Jim Halfpenny Band

RoadwayVideo_H264-web

Photo Gallery

Press

• Laura Bethell/Maverick Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Though this album is a couple of years old, it’s only recently landed at Maverick Towers and made su...Though this album is a couple of years old, it’s only recently landed at Maverick Towers and made such an impression we thought you all ought to know about it. California-born Jim Halfpenny was raised in a rural desert farming community and spent twenty-odd years in Los Angeles writing film and television scores. Then seven years ago, following a short vacation to Austin, Texas, Jim and his wife upped sticks and moved to the hill country just outside of Austin. This album, recorded at his own Back 40 Studios, is best described as rural, rootsy rock with strong country influences. All twelve songs are penned by Halfpenny—who plays guitars, mandolin, harmonica, organ, piano—and are best dsecribed as life-stories. The word pictures he paints in Paul Revere’s (a typical American bar), Nowhere Town (young lovers desperate to escape to find something better than no future at home) and Walkabout (the freedom of just living life without today’s stress and expectations) all make a big impact. Yeah—highly recommended.
  

• Maria Mesa's Record Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  "First Things First" - Jim Halfpenny This little gem is one of the better singer/songwriter album..."First Things First" - Jim Halfpenny
  
  This little gem is one of the better singer/songwriter albums that have come my way. Jim Halfpenny and his band have created a well rounded package that seems to have everything well in check. Catchy songwriting, experienced musicianship, and a quality well-polished production. Instrumentation includes soprano sax, mandolin, accordion, violin, and fretless bass for added depth.
  
  Halfpenny writes deep, thought provoking lyrics. "Like the cradle and the hearse, first things first" is a great way of saying death is just another beginning. The opening song "Pentagrams" has lines like: "She goes in 5 directions like the points on a pentagram, and when I look for haven in her eyes, I just see reflections of the fool I am." The insert contains complete lyrics with landscape photography and cool graphics.
  
  With it's musically KGSR friendly feel it's a bit hard to categorize. Bluesy pop rock with a bit of Texas twang comes close. A dash of Americana? Sure, why not. Most songs are good, but my favorite is the final bonus track "The Long Bar". A great classic drinking song and an ode to friends and family no longer with us, it wraps the disc up nicely. While he is also deeply involved in soundtrack work in his backyard hill country studio, Jim Halfpenny's time would be better spent on projects like this.
  
  - Maria Mesa, Columnist, Austin Daze Magazine

• Zak McKinney Review of Truth Trust & Other Ghosts [+ Show ]
  

  From the Southern California desert to the Texas Hill Country and everywhere in between there are st...From the Southern California desert to the Texas Hill Country and everywhere in between there are stories and songs that reflect the very traditions and origins of the human condition. In his debut CD, "First Things First", Jim Halfpenny has managed to infuse his humble beginnings and earthy roots with a pure devotion to telling lyrically exquisite stories and creating music that dares to cross many boundaries and encompass the emotions we have each experienced in our lives. From the acoustic driven rhythm of each song to the smokey vocals of Halfpenny which are only complemented by additions of spacey saxophone arrangements that linger in the distance, the simplicity of each song creates an experience that is anything but ordinary. By creating an album that dives into the rich history of American music and yet embracing the popular music that has come to fill airways across the country, Halfpenny has managed to build a bridge between generations and has produced a piece of work that will take you back to your roots, no matter what they may be. Although compared to the likes of Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews; Halfpenny clearly stands his own ground and creates a sound that is sure to pull you in close and and keep you listening for the long haul. Jim Halfpenny has accomplished what many have attempted with a debut album that is truly unforgettable. If you haven't heard this artist, let alone the album, be sure give him a listen and I promise you wont be disappointed.
  

• Brian Beck KGSR Radio, Austin [+ Show ]
  

  "First things first, LISTEN to this record! Jim Halfpenny writes from the heart about things we all ..."First things first, LISTEN to this record! Jim Halfpenny writes from the heart about things we all love and fear and then puts them to a beat you can cruise to!"
  
  - Brian Beck, Producer/DJ, KGSR Radio, Austin, Texas

• Jim Caligiarai Review [+ Show ]
  

  "...First Things First is filled with sturdy roots rock with occasional treks to Dave Matthews' spac..."...First Things First is filled with sturdy roots rock with occasional treks to Dave Matthews' space jazz."
  
  - Jim Caligiuri, The Austin Chronicle, August 11, 2006

• Review of Jim Halfpenny's Truth Trust & Other Ghosts [+ Show ]
  

  "Jim Halfpenny has been an Austinite for only a small fraction of his life, but you’d never guess it..."Jim Halfpenny has been an Austinite for only a small fraction of his life, but you’d never guess it from his music. Sure, his songs are full of sun-washed guitars that nod to his former career as a film composer in Los Angeles. But beneath this bright sheen is an earthy, country-tinged roots rock sound that’s right at home in the Hill Country. Halfpenny’s second album, “Truth Trust and Other Ghosts,” stays true to the elements that made his debut a solid effort. The music marries mainstream ’90s alternative with Americana to produce tightly crafted songs that sit somewhere between the Wallflowers and Tom Petty.
  
  But the album really punches when Halfpenny drives the music home with stark, relatable images. “Strokes of genius and poetry and gloom/I stored them all in paper balls in the corner of the room,” he sings on “Aims and Wishes.”
  
  You can regularly catch Halfpenny at the Nutty Brown Cafe on Wednesday nights, where he hosts the songwriter's night." - Alex Daniel, Austin American-Statesman, July 11, 2010
  
  

• Radio Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Totally dig your CD! I've been reporting spins to both AMA and RMR charts." - Wildman Steve, Owner..."Totally dig your CD! I've been reporting spins to both AMA and RMR charts." - Wildman Steve, Owner/Program Director, Wildman Steve Radio WMSR - Auburn, AL
  
  

Setlist

All original music. Titles include:

Pentagrams
Good Friends
The Rooster's Gone
Cool Your Heels
First Things First
Nowhere Town
The Roadway
That's You Leavin'
Out Of The Blue
Same Full Moon
Paul Revere's
Skeleton Boy
Severe Weather
Demolition Days
Blind Pigs
The Long Bar
Echoes
My Class Ring
Best Wishes
I Know About Love
Blue Sun
Ghosts In The Sidewalk
Homegrown Tomatoes
A Moment Of Science
Aims & Wishes
She's Afraid To Drive At Night
King Of Avalon
Annabelle's Tears
I Just Wanna See You
Super Sam
Kingdom Come
His Crusade
Baby Needs New Shoes
Run
Dandelion


Currently, Jim has four complete 45 minute sets and will soon have five. Depending on the venue the band plays a variety of up-tempo cover songs that are similar in style: Petty, Eagles, Mellencamp, Stones, etc.

Basic Requirements

Calendar