Justin James Bridges
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Justin James Bridges

Portland, Oregon, United States | INDIE

Portland, Oregon, United States | INDIE
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"Great Music While High: Justin James Bridges"

Justin James Bridges is a Texan who has made his home in Portland. When he brought his special style of Texas blues to Oregon, he changed music for the local cannabis community. Soon after his arrival, he got involved with the Occupy Portland movement as a sign language interpreter. His dedication to the Occupy movement has put him in a wheelchair after suffering injuries at the hands of the police. For a short time, he couldn’t play.

Justin is no quitter, though. He worked his unusable hand, massaged it with cannabis salve and started eating full extract cannabis oil to mend his wounds. Since it was his strummin’ and pickin’ hand that was injured, he could still make chords, and he could still make music. He started out just being able to use his thumb to strum. When you listen to his latest release, “Medication Recreation,” you would never know of his struggle. His licks are back, better than ever.

He continues to chronicle his life and love of the cannabis plant with his lyrics. His songs can be powerful, fun and moving, and he uses his music to educate and inspire. From his website:

“Less than 4 months have passed since the release of JJB’s second solo album “Long Road to Nowhere,” and there is already a release date for his next project. “Medication Recreation” is set to be released on July 10th, 2013, (710 for all you dabbers out there!!!) and will feature some new styles mixed in with the sounds we’ve come to expect from JJB. This pro-cannabis legalization album is set to feature 8 tracks including crowd favorites like ‘Mary Mary,’ ’Feels Like Home (Cannabis Cafe),’ and the title track ‘Medication Recreation,’ along with some new songs, ‘Understand,’ and ‘Pain.’”

Justin generously donates to the cannabis community through his music and has become one of those guys you can count on to help out at any event. He has performed at local cannabis competitions, Hempstalk and fund raisers all over Oregon. He did some spring time shows in Texas and Colorado, and he is gearing up to head out on tour again soon. The guy just doesn’t stop! Even if you aren’t a blues fan, you will find plenty to like on Justin’s latest. Check it out! - Weedist


"Great Music While High: Justin James Bridges"

Justin James Bridges is a Texan who has made his home in Portland. When he brought his special style of Texas blues to Oregon, he changed music for the local cannabis community. Soon after his arrival, he got involved with the Occupy Portland movement as a sign language interpreter. His dedication to the Occupy movement has put him in a wheelchair after suffering injuries at the hands of the police. For a short time, he couldn’t play.

Justin is no quitter, though. He worked his unusable hand, massaged it with cannabis salve and started eating full extract cannabis oil to mend his wounds. Since it was his strummin’ and pickin’ hand that was injured, he could still make chords, and he could still make music. He started out just being able to use his thumb to strum. When you listen to his latest release, “Medication Recreation,” you would never know of his struggle. His licks are back, better than ever.

He continues to chronicle his life and love of the cannabis plant with his lyrics. His songs can be powerful, fun and moving, and he uses his music to educate and inspire. From his website:

“Less than 4 months have passed since the release of JJB’s second solo album “Long Road to Nowhere,” and there is already a release date for his next project. “Medication Recreation” is set to be released on July 10th, 2013, (710 for all you dabbers out there!!!) and will feature some new styles mixed in with the sounds we’ve come to expect from JJB. This pro-cannabis legalization album is set to feature 8 tracks including crowd favorites like ‘Mary Mary,’ ’Feels Like Home (Cannabis Cafe),’ and the title track ‘Medication Recreation,’ along with some new songs, ‘Understand,’ and ‘Pain.’”

Justin generously donates to the cannabis community through his music and has become one of those guys you can count on to help out at any event. He has performed at local cannabis competitions, Hempstalk and fund raisers all over Oregon. He did some spring time shows in Texas and Colorado, and he is gearing up to head out on tour again soon. The guy just doesn’t stop! Even if you aren’t a blues fan, you will find plenty to like on Justin’s latest. Check it out! - Weedist


Discography

On My Way (Justin James Bridges) 11/13/13
Medication Recreation (Justin James Bridges) 7/10/13
Long Road to Nowhere (Justin James Bridges) 2/22/13
Hang on for the Ride (Justin James Bridges)2011
Forgotten Memory (Leprechaun Theory) 2010

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Bio

A blues man born deep in the heart of Texas, Justin James Bridges plays music from the soul and doesn’t know any other way. Self-taught by listening to legends like Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins, The Doors, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, JJB’s distinctive picking style and fret work are reminiscent of earlier times in American music.

JJB takes dirty Southern blues, rock, funk, soul, folk, and hip-hop and makes it his own, Texas-style. One of JJB’s early projects, Leprechaun Theory—a Texas rock trio—played SXSW in 2008 and 2010. As member of the Houston Blues Society, JJB felt inspired to go professional when blues drummer Jackie Grey told him, “If you wanna get good at the blues, you gotta pay your bills with it.” Three months later in January 2011, JJB hit the road with the “Hang on for the Ride” album tour, ending up in Portland, Oregon.

Now based in Portland, JJB headlined the 2011 OGF Care Growers Cup and played Hempstalk 2011. That fall the Occupy Wall Street movement swept the nation. JJB is an American Sign Language interpreter and volunteered his time to interpret for deaf activists at Occupy Portland and to make music. After the Occupy Portland camp spent over a month peacefully building community and providing social services, it was evicted in a police action at which JJB was violently attacked by the police. The attack left him in a wheelchair, unable to move his right arm and right leg. He slowly regained use of his picking hand after six months and today expects a full recovery, though he is still confined to a wheelchair.

His latest collaborative project, Patchwork Family Band, headlined the 2012 OGF Care Growers Cup, rocked Hempstalk 2012, and appeared several times on the TV show Cannabis Common Sense. PFB toured Texas in February 2012 and brought the “Beyond Eviction” album tour to the West coast later that April. JJB’s solo album, “Long Road to Nowhere,” showcases his songwriting talent and guitar work with ten tracks of blues, rock, and revolution, while his latest album, "Medication Recreation," brings more funk and political hip hop to the table while still showing his blues roots.

Events:
Hempstalk 2013 - Portland, OR
Hempfest 2013 - Seattle, WA
Hempfest 2013 - Olympia, WA
2013 Bay Area High Times Cannabis Cup (TGA Subcool Seeds Booth)
Global Cannabis March 2013 - Portland, OR
Portland Marathon 2012 - Portland, OR
Hempstlak 2012 - Portland, OR
OGF Caregrowers Cup 2012 - Portland, OR
Hempstalk 2011 - Portland, OR
OGF Caregrowers Cup 2011 - Portland, OR
SXSW 2010 - Austin, TX
SXSW 2008 - Austin, TX