Biography
Jimmy Lloyd Rea is a real modern day Bluesman and a true legend in the modern Blues scene...He has stood and played on the bandstand with many ot the true blues treasures. From Albert, BB, and Freddie King, John Lee Hooker, Lightinin Hopkins, Charlie Musselwhite, J.B. Hutto, John Lee Hooker, Troyce Key , J.J. Malone ,Canned Heat, Otis Rush, Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Smokey Wilson , Paul Butterfield, Big Walter Horton, Sonny Rhoades, Pete "King" Karnes, Luther Tucker, Son Seals , Snooky Pryour, Robert "Jr" Lockwood, etc. Jimmy has played and recorded with who he refers to as the "newer monster cats " Jimmy Mesi, the late Paul deLay, Henry Cooper , Tim " Too Slim " Langford , Ken "B3" Harriss , Doug " Rockin' " Rowell , Lloyd Jones , Jason Ricci , Terry Robb , John Koonce , Curtis Salgado , Bill Rhoades , John Nemeth , Bobby Parsons , and Fiona Boyce. In his words... "It has been a amazing experience, so far. ,
As much as Jimmy honored and loved working with such amazing Blues talent , he had a sound lurking in his heart, mind and soul. Blues with a certain "groove" , raw edge , and fire. A much more free, untamed and straight from the soul type of sound. Then in a greasy little bar in his home town, Baker City, Oregon, during the early 1980's It happened. With players from 3 other bands( who were stuck in Baker City because of a huge snow storm) he had never played with before, he found the "Groove". They "clicked," the new unit was formed about a month later, and Jimmy named the band Jimmy Lloyd Rea and the Switchmasters ( after one his father's vintage Gibson guitars) and the rest is history. Over the years the band has never changed in style and format,still producing that powerful, gritty, hip shakin' blues groove that only they, as a collective, can achieve. Original but contemporary, gritty but smooth, down to the bone pure and honest.
JLR and The Switchmasters , with over 150 years total bandstand experience are a true guitar based BLUES EXPLOSION. Powerful, bone shaking , and unforgettable, original Rockin' Roadhouse Blues !!!
JIMMY LLOYD REA IS A MEMBER OF THE BLUES HALL OF FAME
ALSO :
IN APRIL 2007 , JIMMY LLOYD REA and THE SWITCHMASTERS WERE INDUCTED INTO THE UNDERGROUND BLUES HALL OF FAME .
Instrumentation
Jimmy Lloyd Rea, Hootin' and Hollerin (Lead Vocals)'and Bolin and OLD Fender and Kay Bass guitars
Reverend Danny G, Crushing lead and rhythm guitar
" Rockin' Ron " Carnes Guitar and Vocals
Dusty "Hitman" Spivey ,Drums
Discography
The Blues Is On The Line ----BLUES HAT
Roadhouse Blues-------ROCKPORT RECORDS
American Boogie ---- ROCKPORT RECORDS
The Pigbarn Sessions,Vol 1----- PIGBARN RECORDS
Cruzin' For A Bloozin'---- BLUES HAT, HOT POOP RECORDS
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/jimmylloydreaandtheswitchmasters |