Dubbed “England’s equivalent to Joe Bonnamassa” by Blues Matters, Jim Kirkpatrick has built up over a quarter-century’s experience in Blues and Rock and earned a tonne of respect from his fans, peers and critics alike. Not only is he a gifted songwriter (who’s written numerous nationally UK playlisted songs) but he’s also a deft-fingered, multi-skilled,  guitarist who’s famed for possessing both Bonnamassa-type energy and slide guitar and fingerstyle— worthy of the great Duane Allman — as well.

 

Jim is probably best-known as the lead guitarist of the legendary British melodic rock band FM, with whom he’s served since 2008. However, he’s also worked and toured with many other big hitters, worldwide, several of whom have collaborated with him on his solo material, such as Bernie Marsden and John ‘Rhino’ Edwards.

 

Striking out as a solo artist, Jim made a seismic and immediate impact, and earned well-deserved acclaim, as a songwriter, guitarist, vocalist (and live performer) with his critically acclaimed, 2020, 12-track solo album ‘Ballad of a Prodigal Son’. Life Music Media called it “The most important British Blues-Rock album of recent years,” and proclaimed, “Jim should be regarded as being right at the pinnacle of the world’s best Blues guitarist/vocalists.”

 

Now, Jim’s following up that triumphant solo outing with his forthcoming album of new material: ‘Dead Man Walking.’

 

“I think some of my strongest tracks ever are on this album. I’ve incorporated some country, Americana and gospel influences in with the usual blend of rock and blues. This is new territory for me.

“The tracks ‘Dead Man Walking’ and ‘Union Train’ are southern-tinged whilst ‘Promised Land’ is almost like a work song.

“There’s some out-and-out rockers like ‘Life On The Run’ and Heaven Above’, and some blues and soul with ‘Road of Bones’ and ‘The Journey Home’.

“There’s one cover on the album, which is Rory Gallagher’s ‘I Fall Apart’. It’s very different from his original version. There’s an epic orchestral score on it.

 

Jims current album ‘Dead Man Walking” has been called 'Quite simply a masterpiece’ by Metal Planet Music who gave it 10/10. Blues Matters Magazine said ‘This is the album of the year, no question about it’ and continued to say ‘If there is a better blues/rock guitarist within this sceptres isle of ours, I’ll eat my hat’! Blues In Britain exclaimed that the album is ‘Quite brilliant’!

 

Recently, Jim has been lauded as 'the hardest working musician in the business’, 'Britains most unsung blues/rock guitar hero’ and 'the biggest secret in the blues/rock world’. That is all about to change!