JIMMY THACKERY

EXTRA JIMMIES

2014-10-26

After a 15 year gig with the Northern Virginia based Nighthawks and a brief detour into horn-driven R & B with the Assassins, guitarist Jimmy Thackery formed the hard-hitting Drivers. This disc features 13 cuts drawn from three out of print discs from his early years on the Blind Pig label, Empty Arms Motel, Wild Night Out and Switching Gears. While there are a couple of covers here including a great live take on B.B. King's "You Upset Me Baby", George Butler's "Lickin' Gravy" and the Lowell Fulsom classic, "Honey Hush", most of the material is original and features Thackery's hot-wired guitar work leading his three piece crew through the paces. The first solo release, 1992s, Empty Arms Motel, set the stage for the terrific solo career he has crafted since then. With an immediacy that makes even the studio work sound live and raw Thackery's guitar work is spellbinding with its use of tone, dynamics and his ever inventive phrasing. He's also a fine vocalist with a gruff, take-no-prisoners approach that is as confident as his guitar work. If you missed these releases the first time around this is a good chance to catch a rocket on the way up! Smitty

More reviews tagged #Blues

  • reviewed 03/2017

    SCOTT RAMMINGER
    DO WHAT YOUR HEART SAYS TO

  • reviewed 11/2007

    NICK MOSS & THE FLIPTOPS
    PLAY IT 'TIL TOMORROW

  • reviewed 03/2016

    Blind Lemon Pledge
    Pledge Drive

  • reviewed 03/2012

    KILBORN ALLEY
    Four

  • reviewed 04/2008

    DONA OXFORD
    Step Up

  • reviewed 10/2008

    JIMMY THACKERY & THE DRIVERS
    – Inside Tracks

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.