Jimmy Griffin

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Jimmy Arthur Griffin (born August 10, 1943 in Cincinnati , Ohio , † January 11, 2005 in Franklin , Tennessee ), also James Griffin , was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter . He was successful as a member of the 1970s soft rock band Bread . He also won the 1971 Academy Award for Best Song as the cowriter of For All We Know from the movie Lovers and Other Strangers .

Life

Griffin grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. As a child he learned the accordion at the Central Academy of Music. In 1962 he graduated from Kingsbury High School . His musical role models were his neighbors Dorsey and Johnny Burnette . He followed these towards California. The Burnettes also made contact with Reprise Records , who signed Jimmy Griffin as a solo artist. In 1963 his debut album Summer Holiday was released , which consisted exclusively of cover versions . Some work as a songwriter followed, including for Rudy Vallee , Ed Ames , Lesley Gore and Bobby Vee . He also tried his hand at acting in small roles in the films For Those Who Think Young (1964) and The Wages of the Courageous (1964).

In 1968 he founded the soft rock band Bread with Robb Royer, David Gates and Jim Gordon, with whom he recorded five albums between 1969 and 1973. Together with Royer and Gordon, they also wrote the title For All We Know from the film Lovers and Other Strangers . This was awarded an Oscar for Best Song at the 1971 Academy Awards . Griffin left the group in 1973 in favor of his solo career and released the album Breakin 'Up Is Easy in 1973 . In 1976, however, he returned to the group. However, the reunification was short-lived. The group disbanded in 1977 after a major dispute and subsequent legal proceedings. Gates had tried to continue the group alone. The judicial disputes could only be resolved in 1984.

The solo album James Griffin followed in 1978 . 1982 followed a collaboration with Terry Sylvester ( The Hollies ) as Griffin & Sylvester. In the mid-1980s he founded the country band Black Tie with Billy Swan and Randy Meisner .

The band The Remingtons followed in 1991, releasing the two albums Blue Frontier (1992) and Aim for the Heart (1993). After several years of radio silence, he reunited with Robb Royer and together with Tod Cerney they appeared first as Toast and later as Radio Dixie as a live band.

In 2003, Griffin founded the band GYG with Rick Yancey and Ronnie Guilbeau, with whom he recorded a self-titled CD. Shortly afterwards, however, he developed cancer. He died on January 11, 2005 in Franklin, Tennessee at the age of 61.

Discography

solo

Albums

  • 1963: Summer Koliday ( Reprise Records )
  • 1973: Breakin 'Up Is Easy (as James Griffin, Polydor )
  • 1977: James Griffin (Polydor)

Compilations

  • 2001: James Griffin Sings the Bread Hits (Weton-Wesgram)
  • 2008: An Early Slice of Bread (as James Griffin, Bread)
  • 2013: Just Like Yesterday: The Solo Anthology 1974-77 (as James Griffin, Hux Records)
  • 2018: Jimmy Griffin - The Archive Series: Volume One (Wraysong Productions)

EPs

  • 1964: Jimmy Griffin
  • 1976: James Griffin
  • 1983: Hanalei / Laura Lee / Blood from a Stone / Goin 'Back to Tennessee

Singles

  • 1963: What Kind of Girl Are You / A Little Like Lovin 'You
  • 1963: Summer Holiday / Love Letters in the Sand
  • 1964: All My Loving / My Baby Made Me Cry
  • 1964: Running to You / Gotta Lotta Love (Ciribiribin)
  • 1964: Try / You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
  • 1964: Nei Baci Di Un Altro (Marie Is Moving)
  • 1965: These Are the Times / Walking to New Orleans
  • 1965: He Will Break Your Heart
  • 1967: Lookin 'So Much Better
  • 1968: Thank You Love / The Light of Your Mind
  • 1970: Thank You Love / The Miracle Worker
  • 1973: She Knows
  • 1973: Breakin 'Up Is Easy
  • 1973: She Knows / Beachwood Band
  • 1975: Treat Her Right

Griffin & Sylvester

  • 1982: Griffin & Sylvester (album, Polydor)
  • 1982: Please Come Into My Life (single)
  • 1982: Rozanne (single)

With bread

With black tie

  • 1985: When the Night Falls (Album, Bench Records)
  • 1990: Chain Gang (single)

With The Remingtons

Others

  • 1969: David - Light of Your Mind / Please Mr. Policeman (Single, Philips)
  • 2005: Holly Cieri with James Griffin: For All We Know (Single, Holly & Lilacs Music)

Songwriting (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Bread's Jimmy Griffin Dies. In: Billboard.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020 .
  2. ↑ a b Jimmy Griffin at Allmusic (English). Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  3. ↑ Bread at Allmusic (English). Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  4. ↑ Dave's Diary - 1/13/05 - Jimmy Griffin RIP. Retrieved January 9, 2020 .
personal data
SURNAME Griffin, Jimmy
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Griffin, Jimmy Arthur (full name); Griffin, James; Know, For All We
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer, guitarist and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH August 10, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH Cincinnati , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH January 11, 2005
Place of death Franklin , Tennessee