Articles: Jim Jones
All My Sins Remembered by Rod Miller
Rod Miller is an award-winning author and poet. People toss the phrase, “award-winning,” around so much that it can become meaningless, so let me give you a little context. Rod has won four Western Writers of America Spur Awards; he has won awards from the Western...
STAYIN’ ALIVE: SAVING LIVE MUSIC!
We went to a house concert last night, the Rio Rancho House Concert Series specifically, and we saw and heard a fantastic performer- excellent singer, accomplished songwriter, killer guitarist. We arrived worn out from a long day of work and left energized and excited...
Western Heritage Wrangler Awards 2022: Reflections
I’m back from the Western Heritage Awards Ceremony at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City this past weekend and I’m still savoring the event. The museum is a first class outfit in every way. The exhibits are breath-taking and really do...
Marketing in the 21st Century
There was a time (at least that’s what I’ve heard) that if you were on a record label as a musician or had a publisher as an author, they would handle all the marketing, publicity, promotion and such. All you had to do was decide which color M&Ms you didn’t want...
WOMEN WRITING THE WEST
One of the benefits of being a Western Storyteller…a songwriter and author…is that I get to hang out and become friends with other writers. I get to learn from them and sometimes, I get to collaborate with them. One of my good friends is the wonderful writer, Deanna...
Red River Songwriters’ Festival 2022
Texas in the early 70s was “songwriter heaven.” Everyone who was anyone hung out in Austin at the Armadillo World Headquarters, the Saxon Pub, the Broken Spoke and multiple other great venues. Willie moved to Austin. We had Rusty Weir, Michael Martin Murphy, BW...
Good Days Are Comin’ is Comin’!
I’m getting everything set up so that folks who are interested in purchasing my album, either the physical CD, the download of the CD or individual tracks off the CD, can do so through my website. It’ll be next week before that’s all completed but we’re working as...
Kerry Grombacher’s Range of the Buffalo
I met Kerry Grombacher almost twenty years ago when I joined the WMA (now the IWMA) and over the course of that time, he has become one of my favorite Western songwriters. His songs are authentic, lyrical and literate. It’s a mystery to me as to why he’s never had a...
MY HEROES HAVE HEROES
A singer/songwriter for whom I had tremendous respect and admiration was the late Michael Smith from Chicago. He’s probably best known for writing The Dutchman, one of the greatest love songs of all time, but he wrote a whole lot of wonderful music. I had the great...
Mary Kaye: Blending the Old West with the New
Over my years as a performer, I’ve often been asked by people, “What is Western music?” I’ll just cut to the chase here and tell you; if you’re curious, get a copy of Mary Kaye’s newest album, “Frontier,” and listen to it. There’s your answer. She blends beautiful...
No Secret Too Small Review
No Secret Too Small By Loretta Miles Tollefson Sometimes I think there must be a rule that says when you’re writing about history, you should make it as dry and monotonous as you possibly can. Provide names, dates and locations but don’t share anything that gives...
White Hats- Black Hats
There’s no question that the characters of my youth in literature, television and the movies helped me chart the course for how I’ve tried to live my life. They were the “good guys” and they stood up against evil, corruption, bullying and the like. They all wore...
Cowboy Way- Doin’ What We Do!
They say “good things come in threes” (I don’t know who “they” are and I don’t really know if “they” actually say that; I just basically made it up). If that’s true (or even if it’s not), The Cowboy Way has just released our third album, “Doin’ What We Do,” and we’re...
VIRTUAL STORE IS OPEN FOR BIDNESS!
With live performances almost non-existent these days, it’s pretty difficult to sell products. Some folks say the CD is “dead” and yet in the not-so-distant past (as recently as March, 2020), plenty of people were lining up at the merch table to purchase CDs. At...
Waning Moon Review
Here's the latest review of my third novel, Waning Moon, Book 3 in the Jared Delaney Series. And as many of you already know, the answer to the final question below is yes. A tale of the good people in northern New Mexico fighting the corruption of the notorious Santa...
Review: A House of Men- Sumner Wilson
Words matter and Sumner Wilson clearly gets that. In his novel, A House of Men, a tale of family conflict that spans generations, he uses words masterfully to paint pictures of the landscape, to set the mood and tone, and to bring his characters to life. I found...
The Magic Portal
Long before I was a storyteller…songwriter, author, documentarian…I was a voracious consumer of stories. I’ve always loved books, movies, television shows, documentaries and singer/songwriters who told stories about their lives, and I still do. For me, it provides...
STRANGE TIMES
Strange times we’re living in. As I grapple with the impact this pandemic is having on my business and particularly on my ability to do the things I love to do, I try to maintain some perspective. Entertaining folks is very important all of the time but now more than...
Great time to read and listen to music!
Since we’re all going to be shut in a lot more than usual for a while, I would encourage you to read books and listen to music…it will lighten your load and make the time pass. I have books and music available on my website and you can get there with just a click of...
EXCITING NEWS!!
I’m excited to announce that I’ve partnered with book publisher, Speaking Volumes. LLC. They will publish all five of my books in the Trade Paperback and E-Book markets while Five Star Publishing will continue to publish The Big Empty and The Lights of Cimarron in...
WRITING THE WEST
Sometimes people ask me how I find time to do all the things I do…write books; write, perform and record music; make a documentary about Scottish Drovers coming to America. The short answer is… “Beats me.” I don’t think about it a lot, I just do it because I love it...
READ THE WEST!
As I try to keep some distance between myself and the constant political outrage on Facebook, I’m trying to come up with positive alternatives. It occurs to me that if people spent more time reading actual books instead of the rantings of fanatical folks who want to...
LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!
Perhaps I’ve mentioned this already but books and music make great gifts for your friends and family. Purely by coincidence, I happen to have all sorts of music and books available right here at my website. If you’re looking for a last minute opportunity, you should...
Mercy Now
I know this will come as a shock to some of you, even those who know me well, but I’m not always the most patient person on the face of the earth (I know several people who probably just snorted their coffee out on the table). I had to go to the grocery store earlier...
I’m Back to Work!
I’m still trying to process the accolades from Saturday night at the IWMA Awards Ceremony. The Cowboy Way received Traditional Western Album of the Year and Group of the Year awards and I was awarded the Song of the Year for my song, “It’s a Cowboy I Will Be.” I...
I’m still trying to process the accolades from Saturday night at the IWMA Awards Ceremony. The Cowboy Way received Traditional Western Album of the Year and Group of the Year awards and I was awarded the Song of the Year for my song, “It’s a Cowboy I Will Be.” I...
Christmas Shopping with One Click!
So Christmas really IS around the corner and you don’t want to wait to the last minute to do your Christmas shopping. My latest novel, The Lights of Cimarron, would make a nice gift for someone who enjoys reading or if you REALLY like ‘em, you could get my entire set...
Jawdropping Music- Muriel Anderson
Here’s something for those of you who really appreciate great music. Last month, the Cowboy Way Trio performed at the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas and it lived up to everything we’d heard about it. It’s been around for about fifty years and although it’s...
In the Chute
When you record CDs, you go through a lengthy and exhaustive process of recording (usually one track at a time), mixing and eventually, mastering. When you think you’re done (you never are but at some point, you "think" you are), you send it to the company you’ve...
Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks
I just got back from the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference in Austin and as usual, I’m really stoked about the whole experience. I heard some amazing young singer/songwriters…Daniel Neihoff was one of the most outstanding…and it just renews my sometimes...
GREAT Music: Verlon Thompson
I frequently hear people complain about the quality of music these days, most especially the music coming out of Nashville that passes for Country. A legitimate complaint, I suppose, but if you’re a serious music fan and you’re willing to dig a little deeper, there’s...
Where in the World Has Jim Been?
There’s been so much going on with music and books in the past week or so that I haven’t had a chance to post anything on my website blog/Facebook. I was up in Bobcat Pass last Tuesday night with my buddy, Syd Masters, and we had a big time. Wednesday night, I did my...
Writing Up a Storm
I know some people think I'm crazy for all the irons I have in the fire and as I try to catch up with myself, I sometimes think they're right. I'm currently working on my fourth book in the Jared Delaney/Moon series (yep, now's the time for all those "four books in a...
The Lights of Cimarron and stuff
Sometimes it occurs to me that I might be too busy for my own good. I just got back from a twelve day trip to Scotland that was preceded by a four day trip to Wyoming and now will be followed by a four day trip to Arizona. I'm a musician and now it looks like I'll...
Stories to tell, getting ready to head across the ocean!
I’m getting to the end of the first draft of my next book which will answer at least some of the questions you’ll find at the end of my latest novel, The Lights of Cimarron. If you haven’t read that one, you’ve still got a little time but don’t procrastinate too...
Western Writers of America convention in Tucson
I just got back Sunday from the Western Writers of America convention in Tucson and it went really well. Got to see a bunch of old friends and meet some new ones, have some interesting possibilities cooking and got to play a bunch of music, too.
Great new album by Chuck Hawthorne!
I wouldn’t presume to “review” another artist’s album but I sure don’t mind telling you what I think of my friend, Chuck Hawthorne’s new CD which I just got. Chuck served our country for a lot of years as a Marine and now he serves the world by sharing his musical...
Western Writers of America Conference coming up!
June is almost here and that means the Western Writers of America Conference is coming up in the latter part of the month. This year, it's in Tucson, which means shorts and plenty of sunscreen (not really, I'll just wear what I always wear but you might want to try...
Lights of Cimarron
Just a reminder that my latest book, The Lights of Cimarron from Five Star Publishing, is available in both Hard Cover AND Kindle version. You can click on the link on my website and it'll take you right there. Here's what award-winning author, Karen Casey...
Pickin’, Singin’ and Signin’ in Albuquerque
After a really fun and relaxing birthday yesterday, I’m back at it again. I’m going to be fairly busy here in the Albuquerque area over the next six days.
Bless the Storytellers
As many of you know from my posts the past few days, my novel, The Lights of Cimarrón, was just published by Five Star. This is my fifth book to be published…the first three, Rustler’s Moon, Colorado Moon and Waning Moon are all available in large print editions from...
EverReady Review of Lights of Cimarron
EverReady Review Book Review The Lights of Cimarrón: My love is true, it shines for you like The Lights of Cimarrón lyric from the song The Lights of Cimarrón Spur Award winning author Jim Jones is a popular western writer whose five novels are set in Northern New...
Lights of Cimarron Coming Soon!
My fifth novel, The Lights of Cimarron, will be published next week, April 17th, by Five Star Publishing. Here’s what some folks who got a sneak peek at it are saying: "Acclaimed songwriter Jim Jones reveals another side to his writing ability in this rip-snorting...
Living Room Session #4
On Wednesday, April 10th, I’ll be presenting my fourth Living Room Sessions Concert along with my special guest and fellow Cowboy Way Trio pard, Mariam Funke. We’ll be performing in the living room of good friends Scott and Anne in their lovely home in Corrales. I’ve...
Claudia Nygaard’s New CD
I just had a chance to listen to my friend, Claudia Nygaard's new CD, Lucky Girl, all the way through and I just had to tell folks how impressed I was. I first became aware of Claudia's music at several different Folk Alliance events over the years but I actually got...
The Big Empty
My newest book, The Lights of Cimarron, will be coming out with Five Star Publishing on April 17th. This gives you right at two months to order the first book in that series, The Big Empty, and get it read before Lights of Cimarron comes out. Roundup Magazine said...
Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering
I'm heading out tomorrow morning for Alpine for the Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering. This is one of my favorite events of the year (it includes a LOT of music but you know how those poets are! 😉 ). I remember a couple of years ago being involved in a conversation...
Praise for The Lights of Cimarron
Did I mention that my next novel, The Lights of Cimarron, will by published by Five Star Publishing on April 17th? Oh, okay, well, I'm going to mention it again. Here's what award-winning author, W. Michael Farmer has to say about it. “The Lights of Cimarron is a...
Lights of Cimarron coming soon!
My new book, The Lights of Cimarrón, from Five Star Publishing (Five Star/Cenage), will be coming out on April 17th (that’s a Wednesday in case you were curious!). That means you still have time to read the first book in that spin-off series, The Big Empty. ...
Living Room Session #3
Thanks to all who came out last night for my third Living Room Session Concert at the home of Jim and Bobbi Jean Bell. I took advantage of the fact that Bobbi Bell is an experienced AND award-winning radio host and we conducted the concert as an interview with...
All My Sins Remembered by Rod Miller
Rod Miller is an award-winning author and poet. People toss the phrase, “award-winning,” around so much that it can become meaningless, so let me give you a little context. Rod has won four Western Writers of America Spur Awards; he has won awards from the Western...
STAYIN’ ALIVE: SAVING LIVE MUSIC!
We went to a house concert last night, the Rio Rancho House Concert Series specifically, and we saw and heard a fantastic performer- excellent singer, accomplished songwriter, killer guitarist. We arrived worn out from a long day of work and left energized and excited...