Jimmy Gaudreau is a singer and mandolinist playing traditional and progressive bluegrass music. He is best known for his solo albums, and his work with

The Country Gentlemen The Country Gentlemen was a progressive bluegrass band that originated during the 1950s in the area of Washington, D.C., United States, and recorded and toured with various members until the death in 2004 of Charlie Waller, one of the group's f ...

Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020), known professionally as Tony Rice, was an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and a ...

, and

J. D. Crowe James Dee Crowe (August 27, 1937December 24, 2021) was an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s. Crowe led the bluegrass group New South from 1971 until ...

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 John Humbird Duffey Jr. (March 4, 1934 – December 10, 1996) was a Washington D.C. based bluegrass musician. Duffey was born in Washington, D.C., and lived nearly all his life in the Washington D.C. area. He graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Cha ...

and joining Charlie Waller, Ed Farris, and

Eddie Adcock Eddie Adcock (born June 21, 1938) is an American banjoist and guitarist. His professional career as a 5-string banjoist began in 1953 when he joined Smokey Graves & His Blue Star Boys, who had a regular show at a radio station in Crewe, Virgin ...

. 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,

(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 Carl Eugene Jackson (born September 18, 1953) is an American country and bluegrass musician. Jackson's first Grammy was awarded in 1992 for his duet album with John Starling titled "Spring Training." In 2003 Jackson produced the Grammy Award-wi ...

(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

and the New South, with Keith Whitley, Bobby Slone (fiddle), and Steve Bryant (bass).

Spectrum

From 1979 through 1981, Gaudreau was a member of Spectrum with banjoist

Béla Fleck Béla Anton Leoš Fleck (born July 10, 1958) is an American banjo player. An acclaimed virtuoso, he is an innovative and technically proficient pioneer and ambassador of the banjo, bringing the instrument from its bluegrass roots to jazz, classi ...

and bassist

Mark Schatz Mark Schatz (born April 23, 1955) is an American bassist, banjoist, mandolinist, guitarist, clogger, and hambone performer who has recorded on albums for and toured with artists including Bela Fleck, Nickel Creek, Jerry Douglas, Maura O'C ...

. 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

In 1985, Gaudreau was a member of the

Unit for 11 years. Besides Rice and Gaudreau, the Unit included

Wyatt Rice Wyatt Rice is an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He is best known for his solo albums and his work in his brother's group the Tony Rice Unit. Biography Rice was born in Long Beach, California but grew up in Florida and other locat ...

(guitar), Ronnie Simpkins (bass), and

Rickie Simpkins Rickie Simpkins is an American fiddler and mandolinist in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his solo albums and his work with the Lonesome River Band and the Seldom Scene. Biography Early years Simpkins was raised in Christians ...

(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 Mike Auldridge (December 30, 1938 – December 29, 2012) was an American Dobro player and a founding member of the bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. The ''New York Times'' described Auldridge as "one of the most distinctive dobro players in the ...

, 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 Ronnie McCoury is an American mandolin player, singer, and songwriter (born March 16, 1967). He is the son of bluegrass musician Del McCoury, and is best known for his work with the Del McCoury Band and the Travelin' McCourys. Biography Ronnie ...

, Adam Steffey, Radim Zenkl, Emory Lester, Wayne Benson,

Dan Tyminski Daniel John Tyminski (born June 20, 1967) is an American bluegrass composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist. He is a member of Alison Krauss's band Union Station, and has released three solo albums, ''Carry Me Across the Mountain'' (2000), on ...

, Raymond Legere, and Alan Bibey.

Solo recordings

Gaudreau's solo career includes ''The Mandolin Album'' on Puritan Records. ''In Good Company'' on

CMH Records CMH Records is a Los Angeles-based, independent country and bluegrass label with several subsidiary labels, including Vitamin Records, Crosscheck, Dwell, and Rockabye Baby!. The label release diverse styles of music including string quartet tribu ...

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 Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

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 Larry Stephenson is an American singer-songwriter. He sings, plays mandolin, and writes songs in the bluegrass tradition. Biography Early years Stephenson learned how to play the mandolin as a young boy. At age 13, he recorded a 45 rpm single ...

(mandolin), and

Jon Randall Jon Randall Stewart (born February 17, 1969) is an American producer, songwriter, and musician. His career began as a guitarist for Emmylou Harris' Nash Ramblers with whom he won his first Grammy for their ''Live at the Ryman'' album in 1992. B ...

(guitar).

The Fine Group

Gaudreau joined

Robin and Linda Williams Robin and Linda Williams are a husband-and-wife singer-songwriter folk music duo from Virginia. They met in South Carolina in 1971, and began performing in 1973. The Williamses appeared on Garrison Keillor's '' A Prairie Home Companion'' radi ...

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 Rebel Records is an independent American record label based in Charlottesville, Virginia that specializes in bluegrass and old time music. The label was founded in Mount Rainier, Maryland in 1959 by Dick Freeland, Bill Carroll and Sonny Compto ...

. 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 The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant, usually known in North America as beets while the vegetable is referred to as beetroot in British English, and also known as the table beet, garden beet, red beet, dinner beet or golden 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

* 1978: ''The Gaudreau Mandolin Album'' (Puritan) * 1989: ''Classic J.A.G.'' ( Webco) * 1998: ''Live in Holland'' (as Jimmy Gaudreau's Bluegrass Unit) (Strictly Country Records) * 2006: ''In Good Company'' ( CMH) * 2010: ''Pieces and Bits'' (Goose Creek) * 2017: ''Give Us Strength'' (Songside) with Elle Mears

With
The Country Gentlemen The Country Gentlemen was a progressive bluegrass band that originated during the 1950s in the area of Washington, D.C., United States, and recorded and toured with various members until the death in 2004 of Charlie Waller, one of the group's f ...

* 1969: '' New Look, New Sound'' (

Rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...

) * 1971: '' One Wide River to Cross'' (Rebel) * 1971: '' Sound Off'' (Rebel) * 1983: '' Good as Gold!'' ( Sugar Hill)

With Country Store

* 1973: ''Country Store Live'' ( Ridge Runner) * 1974: ''Country Store'' (Rebel)

With
J. D. Crowe James Dee Crowe (August 27, 1937December 24, 2021) was an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s. Crowe led the bluegrass group New South from 1971 until ...
and the New South

* 1978: ''You Can Share My Blanket'' (

Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...

) * 1979: ''My Home Ain't In the Hall of Fame'' (Rounder) * 1979: ''Live in Japan'' (Rounder) released in 1987

With Spectrum

* 1980: ''Opening Roll'' (Rounder) * 1981: ''Live in Japan'' (Rounder) * 1982: ''It's Too Hot For Words'' (Rounder)

With
Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020), known professionally as Tony Rice, was an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and a ...

* 1986: '' Me And My Guitar'' (Rounder) * 1991: '' Native American'' (Rounder) * 1993: ''

Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass ''Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass'' is an album by American guitarist Tony Rice, released in 1993. Allmusic entry for ''Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass''Retrieved September 2009. Track listing # "I've Waited as Long as I Can" ( Hylo B ...

'' (Rounder)

With Chesapeake

* 1994: '' Rising Tide'' (Sugar Hill) * 1995: '' Full Sail'' (Sugar Hill) * 1997: '' Pier Pressure'' (Sugar Hill) * 2014: ''Hook, Live & Sinker'' (Chesterbury) compilation of live performances

With Auldridge, Bennett, and Gaudreau

* 1999: ''This Old Town'' (Rebel) * 2001: ''Blue Lonesome Wind'' (Rebel)

With the Skylighters

* 2006: ''The Skylighters'' (

)

With The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band

* 2008: ''The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band'' (Radio Therapy)

With John Starling and Carolina Star

* 2007: ''Slidin' Home'' (Rebel)

With Moondi Klein

* 2008: ''2:10 Train'' (Rebel) * 2012: ''Home from the Mills'' (Rebel) * 2014: ''If I Had a Boat'' (Rebel)

With
Robin and Linda Williams Robin and Linda Williams are a husband-and-wife singer-songwriter folk music duo from Virginia. They met in South Carolina in 1971, and began performing in 1973. The Williamses appeared on Garrison Keillor's '' A Prairie Home Companion'' radi ...
, and their Fine Group

* 1993: ''Turn Toward Tomorrow'' (Sugar Hill) * 1996: ''Sugar for Sugar'' (Sugar Hill) * 2004: '' Deeper Waters'' ( Red House) * 2005: ''The First Christmas Gift'' (Red House) * 2007: '' Radio Songs'' (Red House) * 2011: ''Stonewall Country: Songs from the Musical'' (Red House)

With
Bill Emerson Norvell William Emerson (January 1, 1938 – June 22, 1996) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1981 until his death from lung cancer in Bethesda, Maryland in ...

* 1987: ''Tennessee 1949'' (Webco) with Pete Goble * 1987: ''Home of the Red Fox'' (Rebel) * 1989: ''Dixie in My Eye'' (Webco) with Pete Goble * 1990: ''Gold Plated Banjo'' (Rebel) * 1991: ''Reunion'' (Pinecastle / Webco) * 1996: ''Banjo Man'' (Pinecastle / Webco) * 2007: ''Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band'' (Rebel) * 2011: ''Eclipse'' (Rural Rhythm)

As composer

* 2005:

Phil Leadbetter Phil Leadbetter (March 31, 1962 – October 14, 2021) was an American resonator guitar player. Life Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Leadbetter began playing the resonator guitar at age 12. He was a 1980 graduate of Gibbs High School in Corryton, ...

- ''Slide Effects'' ( Pinecastle) - track 6, "Glide Path"

Also appears on

* 1977: The Allen Brothers - ''Sweet Rumors'' (Rounder) * 1978: Tim Lake - ''Same Old Roadside Inn'' (Rounder) * 1978: The New Tradition - ''The New Tradition "Live"'' (Red Clay) * 1981:

Tony Trischka Anthony Cattell Trischka (born January 16, 1949) is an American five-string banjo player. Sandra Brennan wrote of him in 2021: "One of the most influential modern banjoists, both in several forms of bluegrass music and occasionally in jazz and ...

, Bill Keith, and

- ''Fiddle Tunes for Banjo'' (Rounder) * 1982: Béla Fleck - ''

Natural Bridge A natural arch, natural bridge, or (less commonly) rock arch is a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, coastal cliffs, fins or stacks are subject to erosion ...

(Rounder) * 1987: Paul Adkins - ''Appalachian Memories'' (Old Homestead) * 1987: Béla Fleck - '' Daybreak'' (Rounder) * 1989: James King - ''It's a Cold, Cold World'' (Webco) * 1994: Emerson & Taylor - ''Appaloosa'' (Webco) * 1995: Steve Huber - ''Pullin' Time'' (Strictly Country Records) * 1998: Richard Bennett - ''A Long Lonesome Time'' (Rebel) * 1999: The Blue Dogs - ''Soul Dogfood'' (Black River) * 2000: various artists - ''Last Day at Gettysburg: Songs About the American Civil War'' (Rebel) * 2001: Bill Clifton - ''Around the World to Poor Valley'' ( Bear Family) * 2003: BanjerDan - ''Old Stuff'' ( CD Baby) * 2006: Joe Meadows - ''Mountains, Rivers and Meadows'' (Patuxent Music) * 2007: various artists - ''Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields'' (Condon Music) * 2011: Dave Giegerich - ''It's About Time'' (self-released)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaudreau, Jimmy 1946 births Musicians from Rhode Island American country singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters American bluegrass musicians American mandolinists American bluegrass mandolinists Living people People from Washington County, Rhode Island Country musicians from Rhode Island