10 quick facts about Jim "Kimo" West

updated JGLB schedule

Fri Oct 20 / 8 PM Downtown West Events presents Hawaiian Slack-Key Guitarist Jim "Kimo" West with special guests from Karina’s School of Hawaiian and Belly Dance KAPOK SPECIAL EVENTS PAVILION 923 McMullen Booth Rd.Clearwater. CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS! for info call 813-254-9846.

10 quick facts about Jim “Kimo” West:

1. Jim “Kimo” West produced the music track for “Weird Al” Yankovic’s smash hit, “White and Nerdy.” This song is currently #2 on iTunes!
2. Jim “Kimo” West is from right here in Tampa! He attended King High School and USF! He was a co-founder of Tampa’s first all-original progressive rock band, Mythril! Similarly to Clang some 15-20 years later, Mythril was centered around the USF Music Department, and even occasionally featured USF faculty members Hilton Jones and Art Woodbury.
3. Jim “Kimo” West recently was awarded the "LA Treasure" award by the Los Angeles Dept of Cultural Affairs for his efforts in bringing slack key guitar to a wider audience.
4. Jim West has recorded and toured with “Weird Al Yankovic” for over 20 years, earning 3 Grammys in the process.
5. Jim “Kimo” West will appear on “The Tonight Show” November 2 with Weird Al.
6. Jim “Kimo” West was a co-founder and engineer at the legendary Hitmakers Studio here in Tampa.
7. Jim “Kimo” West snuck into the USF Music Department to record an album in the 70’s.
8. Jim “Kimo” West has been on the Simpsons!
9. Jim “Kimo” West’s 70’s band, Mythril, developed a huge following performing at USF’s “Head Theatre,” a weekly on-campus event. Psychedelic images were projected on a huge screen while the band played their otherworldly music.
10. Jim “Kimo” West has won widespread praise for his latest Slack-Key release, “Slack Key West.” Richard Bennett of the Mark Knopfler Band says: "Slack Key West, Jim's latest album, is a record that is beautifully performed, written and recorded and shows Jim expanding the role of slack key guitar playing. It's been said often that there are really only two kinds of music; good and bad. Jim West makes good music."