Biography
Born in Eugene, OR; currently residing in Portland, OR. Jim grew up listening to his Dad's old 78s, including Leadbelly -- his first exposure to the Blues. His older brother was a big influence as well. His brother played guitar in a Rock 'N' Roll band in junior high, playing Beatles and Stones tunes, and brought home records by Big Brother & The Holding Company, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Canned Heat.
Wallace got his first harmonica at 19, which led him on a search to find more music with the harmonica. "...I picked up a couple of volumes of Sonny Boy Williamson's records, on Arhoolie, which I still love. I had a copy of an early Blues sampler with Paul Butterfield, called "What's Shakin'?". I was really impressed with his version of Little Walter's "Off the Wall", which seems a little tame to me now. But, at the time, I thought it was incredibly hip."
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Locals Paul deLay, Curtis Salgado and Bill Rhoades were big influences in playing the harmonica. "Of course, Little Walter was the super heavyweight that started the whole style I like."
Jim Wallace won the Cascade Blues Association's Muddy Award for Best Blues Harmonica in 2008 and 2010.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.