JIM WHITE April 28th, 2007

I really believe that every once in a while we just get lucky, or we stumble into something that changes our lives. In 2007 my wife & I attended The Roger Ebert Film Festival in Champaign, Il. We've been going for about 10 years now, but that year holds a special place in my heart. We had just seen a 7 p.m. showing of "STROSZEK" a Werner Herzog film (one of my all-time favorite directors) and it was getting late but the 10:30 p.m. show intrigued me. The show was called "SEARCHING FOR THE WRONG EYED JESUS" directed by Andrew Douglas & stared a little known folk singer named Jim White. The movie is like something straight out of a Flannery O'Conner novel. If you've ever read WISEBLOOD, then you will love this film. The film is about religion in the South but it's no documentary. We follow Jim as he drives through the South & it works. The cameo by Harry Crews was worth watching it alone. It's a strange film but a good one. After the show ended Jim White came on stage there at The Virginia Theatre & performed two songs "The Wound that Never Heals" (a tribute to Aileen Wuornos) and "A Bar is Just A Church That Sells Beer" and I was blown away. I was able to talk to Jim afterwards and was drawn in by his simple & genuine kindness. If you want to write a crime novel & need to set a tone, sit down with "Jailbird","Static on The Radio", or "Still Waters" and let your mind drift. It's truly great stuff and has a sound you'll be hard pressed to duplicate. I've been waiting for 3 years now to catch Jim again. I missed my one chance in Chicago a few years back due to a conflict. However, I am forever on the lookout for that next opportunity. Jim's from Florida, so if you live in the South you have a better chance of catching him. Do, I'm tellin you he's that good. I own 4 of his CD"s (Transnormal Skiperoo, Drill A Hole in That Substrate & Tell Me What You See, Wrong Eyed Jesus, and the Soundtrack from "Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus"). He also has a great website, so google him and check it out. Jim has a brand new CD out entitled "A Funny Little Cross To Bear", that hit record stores on Feb. 3rd. Let the Downloads Begin !!!!!