Bio

Jimmy Lloyd Rea
JLR is a Blues Hall of Fame celebrity and is respected by blues fans and players worldwide. His early years touring and playing with many blues greats shaped his drive and passion to keep that kind of blues music alive. JLR is cranking out his own real from the heart, raw and grinding, rockin’ blues. He spent the early years listening to a long list of great musicians talk about life and music. During that time he states, “I just shut up and listened”.
Jimmy’s parents were from Arkansas before moving to Oregon. His father was a great guitar player and his mother was a ballerina. JLR was born in Baker City, Oregon. At 9 he started playing bass and hasn’t ever stopped. At 15 he started his first band ~ The Perils. During High School he played with Paul Revere of Paul Revere and The Raiders. After college JLR played in a variety of bands until becoming the bass player & doing some vocals for the Pete Karnes Band.
In 1973 he joined Canned Heat, which gave him the opportunity to meet and play with some of the greatest blues artists. The music played during those years had more emotion than he had ever heard. In 1980 he moved back to Baker City to raise a family. After years of living with a free style, grooving, fiery blues lurking in his heart, mind, & soul he finally met the right musicians to start Jimmy Lloyd Rea and The Switchmasters! The band is named after his fathers Gibson Switchmaster.
In 1981 at Blues Hat Studio in Walla Walla, JLR first recorded his new band with Vince Hozier ~ famed member of the Sunrays ~ on lead guitar. During the
coming years JLR & the SwitchMasters recorded some of the best original power blues which are included in this amazing 2 CD set.








 

 

 

 

 

©2012 by Blues Hat Records and Golden Gazelle Music. 
Marketed and Distributed by Blues Hat Records
2109 S. Wilbur Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 509-525-4387, 
and Hot Poop Records 210 E. Main, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 509-525-9080.