It's so gratifying to find this and other Jimmy video, finally, online. I first caught Jimmy and his first band, the Nighthawks at some saloon in D.C., circa 1976. I had the good fortune to see many of their performances, as well as Jimmy's subsequent bands, the Assassins and the Drivers. I still have an old, white Assassins t-shirt with a cartoon figure of Jimmy on tiptoes, boogeying. Here we are, all these years later, and he's still showing how it's done. Jimmy Thackery has long been a favorite, moreso because of times I hung with him, Ragusa, Wenner, Bonta and they were all just good, regular guys to have a drink with in I don't know how many bars in the D.C. region. There's also a lesson of sorts with a cat like Jimmy. You younger people need to get out and support young musicians starting out where you live. Producing great musicians is a strength of America and there are fantastic cats playing all over the place who need support, especially early on. A lot of the great ones never have hit records. Try to get to the place when you can see a great like Jimmy Thackery up close with no security goons and crowd barriers where you can drink and dance next to the stage and long after be able to say, "Yeah, I used to see him 40, 45 years ago in this or that shitty little bar." That's where it's the best, not hockey arenas or football stadiums.
This generation ain’t got no one you’d want to admit seeing in a “shitty little bar” by the way I’m one of those “security goons” you got such a disliking for. I’ve never gotten in the way of folks having fun. In fact I got the job cause I love music and happy places. So next time you post have some knowledge cause you sound less than intelligent here. Like you just won a participation trophy in the special Olympics intelligent.
Oh hell, he was great 46 or so years ago when I first saw him with the Nighthawks, playing in the Washington, D.C. area. Here's ya a famous Jimmy story. One night circa 1975 he and Roy Buchanan were playing in clubs across the street from each other in Georgetown. Each left the stage, walked across the street still playing and jammed with each other's band for a while. He's not only a spectacular guitar player, but he's a good guy with no airs about him or anything. Jimmy's just a regular guy who is good company. This link to a performance by Jimmy's first band, the Nighthawks should help you find more. His next two bands were called the Assassins and the Drivers. Enjoy: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZqBTDXVfGis.html
@@jpwhiteside3768 I know they did the same thing with Thorogood a few times, but the one I referred to with Buchannan took place about the summer of '73 or '74. I don't think Thorogood was playing in D.C. until a few years later. Of course memories fade, but this is my recollection.
Yeah, always amazed at the lack of respect he got. I was playing bass with a local and nationally "noted" guitarist at a jam night, great player, and genuinely good guy. We were outside the club smoking and talking one night, and I brought up Jimmy Thackery, who I loved. The guy says, "yeah, I played at a festival he was at few year ago. Heard every lick he knows in the 10 minutes it took me to walk across the field". Musicians, ugh, and egos. Jimmy never had broad commercial appeal, but he's really good. I would agree, one of the best, that (few) people are familiar with. He's a player, and has paid his dues. I've always appreciated what he does, in 40 years of listening, and seeing him a half dozen times or so..
OK, I get the Stevie Ray comparison. The truth is, that Jimmy and Stevie were coming up at the same time in two different parts of the country. Jimmy in D.C., and Stevie in Texas. With some of the same and also different influences. Opening this set with "Rude Mood" a Stevie classic from "Texas Flood", heavily influenced by the playing of Lonnie Mack, Mr. Thackery is saying, "Check this out, I can do it too." Then he follows up with a tip 'o the hat to that Little 'Ol Three Man Band from Texas, staking out even more territory as a kick-ass guitar player in his own right. Jimmy Thackery stands in no-one's shadow.
Right on all counts. When he was starting out in the early 70s, Jimmy got to be good friends with another great - Roy Buchanan. They jammed and played in different bands in the Washington, D.C. area back then. He's also a good, down-to-earth regular guy who is good company. Above I repeated one of the classic Jimmy stories: one night, circa 1975, Jimmy's band the Nighthawks and Buchanan were playing clubs in Georgetown across the street from each other. At one point, both left the stage, crossed the street, still playing, and jammed with each other's band. Here's a video from '83 of the Nighthawks: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZqBTDXVfGis.html
