Jim Silvers

A note of passing and a passing of note, my good friend Jim Silvers died on the morning of December 6th. He was 82 and in declining health for a while, rapidly so over the last 3 months.

Silvers was the very first guitar student I had after arriving in Los Angeles in 1969. We shared Chicago as our hometown and a deep love of ‘40s and ‘50s hillbilly music. I was 12 years his junior but we began hanging out together. When he landed a record deal in 1978 Jim wanted me to produce it and that was the first real record album I looked after, “You Gotta Let All The Girls Know You’re A Cowboy” on CMH Records. A second album followed in 1981 for Rollin’ Rock Records, “Colonel Jim Silvers”. Colonel was no idle title, Jim was a certified auctioneer and Colonel is the honorary title that goes with that occupation. It was only one of many hats he wore: press agent for Universal Pictures, professional photographer, professional motorcycle racer, opera singer, bluegrass musician, Los Angeles Times delivery, A&R man for CMH Records and no doubt a few more gigs I didn’t know about. Both of his albums, long out of print, were reissued along with a couple of out-takes on Bear Family Records CD.

Through it all we remained friends and that was sometimes not easy. Jim was funny, smart as a whip, a cynic, a wise guy, an immensely talented artist and songwriter, brilliant tenor singer, yodeller and not without his demons.

Here’s one of my favourites from Jim’s first album… The Motel Song:

Over the last years when I was on tour in LA we saw each other and talked regularly, particularly in these Corona months. My heart goes out to his daughter Marin, step-son Kenny and former wife Deborah.

Jim, a million thanks for all the good times and a few of the questionable ones as well. I hope you’ll find peace, buddy.

Richard Bennett