In the grand tradition of folk, country and rock/pop singer-songwriters, Jim Stevenson has been crafting acoustic-guitar based songs with clean production, organic harmonies and lyrics that read like a life journal.
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Jim was exposed to two older brothers who played guitar, sang and dabbled in songwriting, so writing music just seemed natural.
"I was never really thinking about writing a song, I just did it," said Stevenson.
"Gordon Lightfoot and Dan Fogerber...
In the grand tradition of folk, country and rock/pop singer-songwriters, Jim Stevenson has been crafting acoustic-guitar based songs with clean production, organic harmonies and lyrics that read like a life journal.
Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Jim was exposed to two older brothers who played guitar, sang and dabbled in songwriting, so writing music just seemed natural.
"I was never really thinking about writing a song, I just did it," said Stevenson.
"Gordon Lightfoot and Dan Fogerberg really shaped my guitar playing and songwriting."
His first band was an ad hoc group of buddies for an eighth grade talent show, and Jim was even able to sneak in a Lightfoot song!
"It was a little odd having these clean-cut kids from the suburbs singing 'Sundown' by Gord, but I could have cared less...I just dug those chords and harmonies!" said Stevenson.
By high school, music had become the major part of Jim's school identity, but he was just focused on trying to pay homage to his guitar heroes.
"Not many of my friends cared about my folkie and bluegrass music, but I got asked to play and sing in a lot of different groups," Stevenson added.
Jim auditioned and won the lead roles in the high school musical three years in a row, and it was not uncommon that Jim would be a part of more than half of the acts in the high school, end of the year talent shows.
During college, Jim won several talent competitions in Columbus, Ohio, and auditioned and was asked to join two university touring groups.
"Those experiences at Ohio State were in credible because I was around serious musicians, doing serious music, in very serious settings, and quite honestly, there was not a serious bone in my body!" said Stevenson.
It was also at Ohio State that Jim met his long-time singing and playing partner Tim Farrel, the other half of Jim's acoustic duo and harmony band.
"Tim and I were gigging at some of the same places, and he wandered into my dorm one day, asked if I knew some of his songs, and we absolutely hit it off instantly. Our first song that we tried together was Simon and Garfunkel's 'The Boxer' and I embellished some guitar and added Art's harmony line, and when we were done, we just looked at each other and said 'what else can we do?", Stevenson said.
Farrel & Stevenson have gone on to play over 500 performances together including regional touring and opening for Chicago, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen during their stops in Columbus, Ohio.
Today Farrel & Stevenson still gig regularly, and Jim leads a worship band at his church in north Columbus, writes and records. His latest project is an all-start line up of bluegrass players from the region that have been doing gospel shows and reviving some of the great songs of faith.
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