James Arnott “Jimmy” Gaudreau
Biography
Early life
In high school in the '60s, Gaudreau performed as a professional musician, playing electric guitar in his band Jimmy G & the Jaguars. The band played dances and Saturday nights at his uncle's Rhode Island beachfront restaurant.
During the folk boom, Gaudreau became interested in bluegrass music. When he started playing the mandolin, he used guitar fingering techniques, giving him his unique sound.
The Country Gentlemen
Gaudreau moved to the Washington, DC area from his native Rhode Island in 1969 to become a member of the Country Gentlemen, replacing
John Duffey and joining Charlie Waller, Ed Farris, and
Eddie Adcock. In his first stint with the band, he contributed to two albums:
New Look New Sound and
One Wide River. He rejoined the Gentlemen from 1981 until 1985 to record
Good as Gold (Sugar Hill) and
Let the Light Shine Down.
The II Generation
In 1971,
Eddie Adcock (banjo) assembled the progressive bluegrass band II Generation with Gaudreau, Bob White (bass), and Wendy Thatcher (guitar).
II Generation was known for extended jams, and they called their music "newgrass." They disbanded in 1980.
Country Store
Gaudreau formed Country Store in 1973 with
Keith Whitley (guitar),
Carl Jackson (banjo), and Bill Rawlings (bass). Later, Jackson was replaced by Jimmy Arnold, and Whitley was replaced by Chris Stifel. They recorded two albums and broke up in 1975.
J. D. Crowe and the New South
Gaudreau was also a member of J. D. Crowe and the New South, with
Keith Whitley, Bobby Slone (fiddle), and Mike Gregory (bass).
Spectrum
From 1979 through 1981, Gaudreau was a member of Spectrum with banjoist Béla Fleck and bassist
Mark Schatz. They recorded two albums for
Rounder Records:
Too Hot To Handle (1982) and
Live In Japan (1983). After this, Gaudreau returned to the Country Gentlemen for his second stint.
Tony Rice Unit
Beginning in 1985, Gaudreau was a member of the
Tony Rice Unit for 11 years. Besides Rice and Gaudreau, the Unit included
Wyatt Rice (guitar), Ronnie Simpkins (bass), and
Rickie Simpkins (fiddle).
Gaudreau looked for other opportunities when Rice's vocal problems hinted at an end to the band.
Chesapeake
In 1992, Chesapeake, featuring Gaudreau,
Mike Auldridge, T. Michael Coleman, and
Moondi Klein, released three critically acclaimed albums on the Sugar Hill label. With no banjo, they were more acoustic country than bluegrass. Chesapeake disbanded in 1999 when their contract with Sugar Hill ended.
Auldridge, Bennett & Gaudreau
Out of the Chesapeake experience came a trio with Auldridge, Gaudreau, and guitarist Richard Bennett.
This group released two albums:
Blue Lonesome Wind and This Old Town.
Young Mando Monsters
In 1994, Gaudreau produced
Mandolin Artistry: Vol 1.: Young Mando Monsters, an album showcasing
Ronnie McCoury,
Adam Steffey, Radim Zenkl, Emory Lester,
Wayne Benson,
Dan Tyminski, Raymond Legere, and
Alan Bibey.
Solo recordings
Gaudreau's solo career includes
The Mandolin Album on Puritan Records.
In Good Company on
CMH Records in 2006 collects tracks from Gaudreau's career, with Tony Rice, Eddie Adcock, and Charlie Waller, among others.
The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band
As The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band, Gaudreau with Randy Waller (son of Charlie Waller), Eddie Adcock, and Tom Gray recorded one album in 2008.
Carolina Star
Gaudreau joined Carolina Star with leader John Starling (guitar) and bandmates Mike Auldridge (resonator guitar), Rickie Simpkins (fiddle), Tom Gray (bass),
Larry Stephenson (mandolin), and
Jon Randall (guitar).
The Fine Group
Gaudreau joined Robin and Linda Williams and Jim Watson as part of the Fine Group for several years.
Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein
When Chesapeake split up, Gaudreau and vocalist
Moondi Klein began to play the occasional show. This led to their 2008 album
2:10 Train,
followed by
Home From the Mill and then
If I Had A Boat, all released on
Rebel Records.
In 2008, Gaudreau and Klein toured with
Emmylou Harris.
The Skylighters
A group of Washington DC area musicians got together for fun in 2006, and decided to record as the Skylighters. The musicians were Gaudreau (mandolin, vocals), Auldridge (resonator guitar), Eric Brace (guitar, vocals), J. Carson Gray (bass), and Martin Lynds (drums, vocals). They played a mixture of bluegrass, western swing, gospel, and honky-tonk music, and recorded one self-titled album on the Red Beet label.
Awards
In 2005, Gaudreau was inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America's "Hall of Greats".
Discography
Solo albums
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1978: The Gaudreau Mandolin Album (Puritan)
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1989: Classic J.A.G. (Webco Records)
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1998: Live in Holland (as Jimmy Gaudreau's Bluegrass Unit) (Strictly Country Records)
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2006: In Good Company (CMH Records)
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2010: Pieces and Bits (Goose Creek)
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2017: Give Us Strength (Songside) with Elle Mears
With The Country Gentlemen
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1969: New Look, New Sound (Rebel Records)
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1971: One Wide River to Cross (Rebel)
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1971: Sound Off (Rebel)
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1983: Good as Gold! (Sugar Hill)
With Country Store
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1973: Country Store Live (Ridge Runner)
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1974: Country Store (Rebel)
With J. D. Crowe and the New South
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1978: You Can Share My Blanket (Rounder Records)
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1979: My Home Ain't In the Hall of Fame (Rounder)
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1979: Live in Japan (Rounder) released in 1987
With Spectrum
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1980: Opening Roll (Rounder)
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1981: Live in Japan (Rounder)
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1982: It's Too Hot For Words (Rounder)
With [[Tony Rice/" itemprop="url" title="Wiki: tony_rice">
<hr class="us2411627114">
<span class="us3003804241 us1353177739">With [[Tony Rice">tony_rice">
With [[Tony Rice
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1986: Me And My Guitar (Rounder)
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1991: Native American (Rounder)
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1993: Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass (Rounder)
With Chesapeake
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1994: Rising Tide (Sugar Hill)
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1995: Full Sail (Sugar Hill)
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1997: Pier Pressure (Sugar Hill)
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2014: Hook, Live & Sinker (Chesterbury) compilation of live performances
With [[Auldridge/" itemprop="url" title="Wiki: Mike Auldridge">Mike Auldridge, Bennett, and Gaudreau
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1999: This Old Town (Rebel)
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2001: Blue Lonesome Wind (Rebel)
With the Skylighters
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2006: The Skylighters (Red Beet)
With The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band
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2008: The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band (Radio Therapy)
With John Starling and Carolina Star
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2007: Slidin' Home (Rebel)
With [[Moondi Klein/" itemprop="url" title="Wiki: moondi_kl">
<hr class="us2411627114">
<span class="us3003804241 us1353177739">With [[Moondi Klein">moondi_kl">
With [[Moondi Klein
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2008: 2:10 Train (Rebel)
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2012: Home from the Mills (Rebel)
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2014: If I Had a Boat (Rebel)
With Robin and Linda Williams, and their Fine Group
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1993: Turn Toward Tomorrow (Sugar Hill)
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1996: Sugar for Sugar (Sugar Hill)
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2004: Deeper Waters (Red House)
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2005: The First Christmas Gift (Red House)
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2007: Radio Songs (Red House)
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2011: Stonewall Country: Songs from the Musical (Red House)
With Bill Emerson
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1987: Tennessee 1949 (Webco) with Pete Goble
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1987: Home of the Red Fox (Rebel)
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1989: Dixie in My Eye (Webco) with Pete Goble
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1990: Gold Plated Banjo (Rebel)
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1991: Reunion (Pinecastle / Webco)
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1996: Banjo Man (Pinecastle / Webco)
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2007: Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band (Rebel)
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2011: Eclipse (Rural Rhythm)
As composer
Also appears on
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1977: The Allen Brothers - Sweet Rumors (Rounder)
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1978: Tim Lake - Same Old Roadside Inn (Rounder)
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1978: The New Tradition - The New Tradition "Live" (Red Clay)
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1981: Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, and Béla Fleck - Fiddle Tunes for Banjo (Rounder)
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1982: Béla Fleck - ''Natural Bridge (Rounder)
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1987: Paul Adkins - Appalachian Memories (Old Homestead)
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1987: Béla Fleck - Daybreak (Rounder)
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1989: James King - It's a Cold, Cold World (Webco)
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1994: Emerson & Taylor - Appaloosa (Webco)
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1995: Steve Huber - Pullin' Time (Strictly Country Records)
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1998: Richard Bennett - A Long Lonesome Time (Rebel)
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1999: The Blue Dogs - Soul Dogfood (Black River)
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2000: various artists - Last Day at Gettysburg: Songs About the American Civil War (Rebel)
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2001: Bill Clifton - Around the World to Poor Valley (Bear Family)
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2003: BanjerDan - Old Stuff (CD Baby)
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2006: Joe Meadows - Mountains, Rivers and Meadows (Patuxent Music)
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2007: various artists - Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields (Condon Music)
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2011: Dave Giegerich - It's About Time (self-released)
External links
