Jimmy Gaudreau

James Arnott “Jimmy” Gaudreau is a singer and mandolinist playing traditional and progressive bluegrass music.

He is best known for his solo albums, and his work with The Country Gentlemen, Tony Rice, and J. D. Crowe.

In high school in the '60s, Gaudreau performed as a professional musician, playing electric guitar in his band Jimmy G & the Jaguars.

The band played dances and Saturday nights at his uncle's Rhode Island beachfront restaurant.

During the folk boom, Gaudreau became interested in bluegrass music.

When he started playing the mandolin, he used guitar fingering techniques, giving him his unique sound.

Gaudreau moved to the Washington, DC area from his native Rhode Island in 1969 to become a member of the Country Gentlemen, replacing John Duffey and joining Charlie Waller, Ed Farris, and Eddie Adcock.

In his first stint with the band, he contributed to two albums: New Look New Sound and One Wide River.

In 1971, Eddie Adcock (banjo) assembled the progressive bluegrass band II Generation with Gaudreau, Bob White (bass), and Wendy Thatcher (guitar).

II Generation was known for extended jams, and they called their music "newgrass."

Gaudreau formed Country Store in 1973 with Keith Whitley (guitar), Carl Jackson (banjo), and Bill Rawlings (bass).

Later, Jackson was replaced by Jimmy Arnold, and Whitley was replaced by Chris Stifel.

They recorded two albums and broke up in 1975.

Gaudreau was also a member of J. D. Crowe and the New South, with Keith Whitley, Bobby Slone (fiddle), and Mike Gregory (bass).

From 1979 through 1981, Gaudreau was a member of Spectrum with banjoist Béla Fleck and bassist Mark Schatz.

They disbanded in 1980.

He rejoined the Gentlemen from 1981 until 1985 to record Good as Gold (Sugar Hill) and Let the Light Shine Down.

They recorded two albums for Rounder Records: Too Hot To Handle (1982) and Live In Japan (1983).

After this, Gaudreau returned to the Country Gentlemen for his second stint.

In 1985, Gaudreau was a member of the Tony Rice Unit for 11 years.

Besides Rice and Gaudreau, the Unit included Wyatt Rice (guitar), Ronnie Simpkins (bass), and Rickie Simpkins (fiddle).

Gaudreau looked for other opportunities when Rice's vocal problems hinted at an end to the band.

In 1992, Chesapeake, featuring Gaudreau, Mike Auldridge, T. Michael Coleman, and Moondi Klein, released three critically acclaimed albums on the Sugar Hill label.

With no banjo, they were more acoustic country than bluegrass.

In 1994, Gaudreau produced Mandolin Artistry: Vol 1.: Young Mando Monsters, an album showcasing Ronnie McCoury, Adam Steffey, Radim Zenkl, Emory Lester, Wayne Benson, Dan Tyminski, Raymond Legere, and Alan Bibey.

Gaudreau's solo career includes The Mandolin Album on Puritan Records.

Chesapeake disbanded in 1999 when their contract with Sugar Hill ended.

Out of the Chesapeake experience came a trio with Auldridge, Gaudreau, and guitarist Richard Bennett.

This group released two albums: Blue Lonesome Wind and This Old Town.

In 2005, Gaudreau was inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America's "Hall of Greats".

In Good Company on CMH Records in 2006 collects tracks from Gaudreau's career, with Tony Rice, Eddie Adcock, and Charlie Waller, among others.

A group of Washington DC area musicians got together for fun in 2006, and decided to record as the Skylighters.

The musicians were Gaudreau (mandolin, vocals), Auldridge (resonator guitar), Eric Brace (guitar, vocals), J. Carson Gray (bass), and Martin Lynds (drums, vocals).

They played a mixture of bluegrass, western swing, gospel, and honky-tonk music, and recorded one self-titled album on the Red Beet label.

As The Country Gentlemen Reunion Band, Gaudreau with Randy Waller (son of Charlie Waller), Eddie Adcock, and Tom Gray recorded one album in 2008.

Gaudreau joined Carolina Star with leader John Starling (guitar) and bandmates Mike Auldridge (resonator guitar), Rickie Simpkins (fiddle), Tom Gray (bass), Larry Stephenson (mandolin), and Jon Randall (guitar).

Gaudreau joined Robin and Linda Williams and Jim Watson as part of the Fine Group for several years.

When Chesapeake split up, Gaudreau and vocalist Moondi Klein began to play the occasional show.

This led to their 2008 album 2:10 Train, followed by Home From the Mill and then If I Had A Boat, all released on Rebel Records.

In 2008, Gaudreau and Klein toured with Emmylou Harris.