A singer/songwriter with a strong working knowledge of several American traditional music genres, especially country blues.

14 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Folk Blues, BLUES: Acoustic Blues



Details:
Jim Schwall, Guitar, Mandolin, singer-songwriter - is the co-leader of the Siegel-Schwall Band, "one of the best acts in America", - Billboard Magazine.

Jim Schwall's 2007 CD "Getting Old" features Jim performing solo, singing and playing acoustic 6- and 12-string guitars, recorded live in venues in or near Madison WI. There is one traditional song, one song of unknown origin and three songs by other songwriters: Bill Morrissey, David Olney and Ed Haynes. The rest of the 14 tracks are Jim's originals. About half the tunes are in some of the styles of traditional blues.

After playing drums and accordion in elementary school, Jim Schwall found the guitar in high school and has never put it down for long. In college, Jim met piano/harmonica player Corky Siegel and formed the Siegel-Schwall Band. Siegel-Schwall toured full-time for about ten years, releasing over a dozen albums on Vanguard and Wooden Nickel Records. Siegel-Schwall starting playing occasional reunion gigs in the late '80's and currently have two recent CD's in the Alligator Records catalog.

For well over 40 years, Jim has also played with various other bands, releasing recordings with many of these, including two versions of the Jim Schwall Band. He has also played solo acoustic gigs for over 40 years but, aside from acetates cut in high school, never made a solo acoustic recording until 2007's "Getting Old," on Madison WI's Uvulittle Records. Currently he lives in Madison, is a member of SoDangYang along with singer/songwriter Marques Bovre, plays solo, works in visual arts, and is recently retired from social service work.