Jim Armstrong (guitarist)

Jim Armstrong (born 24 July 1944) is a guitarist from Northern Ireland.Armstrong's musical career started while he was still a schoolboy, had played in Belfast's top showband, The Melotones, who were resident in the city's Romano's Ballroom.

Armstrong played and recorded in the early sixties with Van Morrison and Them touring both Europe and America (where he lived – playing and recording for 4 years). Of the 51 tracks recorded by Morrison and Them (1965-71), Armstrong played on over half – and while living in America met and played with Jim Morrison, the Doors, Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa. During this time he was voted 3rd best guitarist in the world (after Jimi Hendrix & Frank Zappa). After leaving Them in 1969 Armstrong teamed up with Ray Elliot and Kenny McDowell to form the band Truth. In the late 70s Jim Armstrong was guitarist with Northern Irish rock outfit Light, in the 80s with Sk'boo and in the 90s with The Jim Armstrong Band. It was with Skiboo that he played in The Errigle Inn, which was Belfast's most famous gig venue. After touring for the last 9 years with one of the many incarnations of Them, the Belfast Blues Band, with Eric Wrixon (the person who gave THEM their name, but never toured with the original band to America).

At home in Northern Ireland he is still a sought after session musician, and has been involved in many locally produced records and projects with Ulster Television, BBC Television and other radio stations. He has played a huge variety of music in his time but blues is his main love.

External links

* [http://www.jimarmstrongband.com/ Official Web Site]
* [http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/irishfolktradandblue_txt.php See extract from Irish Folk, Trad and Blues: A Secret History by Colin Harper and Trevor Hodgett]