Blue Moon

Jim Karr has a big, booming voice full of heartache, perfectly suited for bluegrass. Good thing he finally decided to put it on an album.

While growing up in Kamloops, Jim Karr listened to rock and old country. Then his wife's father turned him on to bluegrass. "Flatt & Scruggs, Mac Wiseman - he introduced me to those guys." This passion Karr found for old bluegrass can be heard on his debut record The Lonesome River.

A few years ago Karr took some guitar lessons from Moe Brown, and then began playing at local coffee houses. Karr's friends and family kept on encouraging him to make a record, so with Jim's wife Coleen by his side as executive producer, he finally decided the time was right.
"It's a labour of love, all about the music," says Karr, clearly excited about his project. "It's a hardcore bluegrass record, with some old country influences." Karr puts his distinctive stamp on songs from Hank Williams, the Stanley Brothers, and Armstrong's own Blu Hopkins.

"The song Blu wrote - "Someone You Used to Know" - is more country than bluegrass" says Karr. Blu Hopkins produced The Lonesome River at his Silver Creek Studio, and added some guitar as well. Besides Hopkins, Karr had many other talents lend their sounds to the album.

"Jim Leduc was very supportive", says Karr. Leduc added standup bass and harmonies. Also heard on The Lonesome River is Kelly Hopkins on mandolin and standup bass, Gord Milne on mandolin and rhythm guitar, Gene Bretecher on banjo and flatpicking guitar, Garry Hill on fiddle, and Chris Stevens on banjo and harmonies.

Written by Brian Saunderson - Brian Saunderson