Jim, a North Carolina native, began his musical career at an early age playing piano, ukulele, guitar, and trumpet. By age 10, he was playing bass lines on his acoustic guitar, and by age 14, was performing bass professionally in dance and rock and roll bands. After discovering jazz as a college freshman, Jim began performing up and down the east coast in numerous regional orchestras, theater pit orchestras, big bands, jazz combos and show bands, including the Fayetteville Symphony, Queens College Symphony, Charlotte Little Theater, Central Piedmont Theater, The Lloyd Hinson Big Band and Ringling Brothers Circus. After relocating to the Wilmington area, Jim could be seen performing with the Thalian Association, Opera House Theater Company, The Lawrence Welk Orchestra, The Mitzi Gaynor Show and The Guy Lombardo Orchestra. When not playing with The Wilmington Big Band, Jim can be heard around the area performing in various groups including Pantastic Steel, the bluegrass group Three For A Dollar as well as accompanying his wife, Laura, in their jazz group Stardust. When not making music, Jim and Laura love to cruise the east coast and Bahamas on their sailboat.