Jim Reilley

While he first made his name as co-founder of acclaimed Pennsylvania folk-rock group the New Dylans, Jim Reilley has built a substantial multi-decade career as a solo artist, industry songwriter, producer, and session musician. In the late 1980s and early '90s, the New Dylans were a favorite among critics and toured with numerous high-profile acts including the Band, Townes Van Zandt, 10,000 Maniacs, and many others. Following the group's disbandment, Reilley worked as a Nashville songwriter, then released a 2003 solo album, The Return of Buddy Cruel, before turning his attention to production and working as a session bassist. The New Dylans reunited in the 2010s and Reilley also joined an experimental jazz outfit called the Birdwatcher Experiment. Reilley and collaborator Reese Campbell formed the New Dylans in 1986 in Warren, Pennsylvania. Aided by John Lombardo and Jerry Augustyniak, both of 10,000 Maniacs, the duo earned critical raves and a cult following for their eponymous independent debut EP and subsequent albums on the Red House label. Throughout the '90s, Reilley and Campbell toured heavily and shared stages with fellow folk-driven Americana acts like Syd Straw and the Silos as well as legends like the Band and Richie Havens. The duo parted ways in 1998 and Reilley relocated to Nashville to try his hand as a songwriter. Artists who recorded his tunes include Hal Ketchum, Vince Gill, Sam Bush, and Jack Ingram, among others. In 2003, he recorded The Return of Buddy Cruel, his first solo outing, which made a strong run on the Americana charts. Shifting gears yet again, Reilley spent some time working as a producer and playing with other artists as a sessions bassist, including stints with Sheryl Crow. Reuniting for their first album in 18 years, the New Dylans recorded 2014's Meta, which featured Chris Autry and former Wilco member Ken Coomer. During this period, he also formed avant-garde jazz collective the Birdwatcher Experiment with Jerry Oilver, which featured a rotating cast of members including former Dead Boy Cheetah Chrome. Both the New Dylans and the Birdwatcher Experiment headed into the next decade with studio albums in the works.
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