Jimmy Gaudreau
Musician · b. 1946 · Wakefield, Rhode Island
Best known for
Mandolin
Jimmy Gaudreau is one of the most-recorded bluegrass mandolinists of the past half-century, defined by his guitar-style fingering approach and his work across the Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe and the New South, the Tony Rice Unit, and Chesapeake.
- Born James Arnott Gaudreau on July 3, 1946 in Wakefield, Rhode Island; began on electric guitar in the teen band Jimmy G & the Jaguars and switched to mandolin during the early-1960s folk boom.
- Moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 1969 to join the Country Gentlemen, replacing John Duffey alongside Charlie Waller, Eddie Adcock, and Ed Ferris.
- Co-led II Generation with Eddie Adcock through the 1970s, then played with J.D. Crowe and the New South in the late 1970s — appearing on You Can Share My Blanket, My Home Ain't In the Hall of Fame, and Live in Japan.
- Was a charter member of Spectrum (1979–1981) with Béla Fleck and Mark Schatz before returning to a second Country Gentlemen stint (1981–1985), recording Good as Gold!.
- Joined the Tony Rice Unit in 1985 and stayed eleven years; recorded Me and My Guitar (1986), Native American (1991), and Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass (1993).
- Co-founded Chesapeake in 1992 with Mike Auldridge, T. Michael Coleman, and Moondi Klein; the Sugar Hill quartet ran through 1999.
- Recorded the Auldridge / Bennett / Gaudreau trio albums This Old Town (Rebel, 1999) and Blue Lonesome Wind (Rebel, 2001) with guitarist Richard Bennett.
- Performs and records as a duo with Moondi Klein since 2008; inducted into the SPBGMA Hall of Greats in 2005.
-
The Country GentlemenPlayed on recordings with The Country Gentlemen
-
J.D. Crowe and the New SouthPlayed on recordings with J.D. Crowe and the New South
-
Tony RicePlayed on recordings with Tony Rice
-
The Tony Rice UnitPlayed on recordings with The Tony Rice Unit
-
James KingPlayed on recordings with James King
-
Bill EmersonPlayed on recording with Bill Emerson
-
Bill Emerson and the Sweet DixiePlayed on recording with Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie
-
Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi KleinPlayed on recording with Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein