|
Music, and art are the things that drive
Jimmy Blakley... Musician, recording artist, recording producer,
television producer, graphics artist for a national magazine, creative
director, song writer, composer, author, and retired old fart, are just
some of the hats that he has worn in his career. He started playing
professionally when he was twelve yrs. old in the 1950's. His parents,
aunts and uncles, brother and sister,
 grand
parents, and great grand parents were also musicians. He traveled for
years across the USA in road bands, including a stint in Las Vegas,
Nevada, at the Golden Nugget. He has played in just about every kind of
venue, and every style of music and bands.
He started his own band in the early seventies, and continued until
the middle 80's. During these times Jimmy also produced several graphics
and artworks for record companies, bands, and other companies
through-out the Southwest, including the 1982 Austin Phone Book Cover.
In the middle eighties, Jimmy decided he needed a change in life, and
began a new career as a television producer. He studied computer
graphics, and trained in Amarillo at KFDA TV. He later moved back to the
Lubbock area, and became Creative Services Director for KLBK TV. During
his tenure at KLBK he won several Addy awards for his works. He produced
a syndicated award winning music program called "West Texas". The
program was chosen to air on Willie Nelson's ill-fated "Cowboy Network"
satellite network, just before network was shut down by the IRS.
Jimmy retired in late 1997 due to illness, but remains somewhat
active at the helm of his computer. He now uses his computer to compose
and record his music under the name of "New Home Ramblers". He was
delighted when he was approached by Lonette Smith, of New Home, to put
together a recording of the "New Home School Song". It is a combined
work from Jimmy, His wife, Sheila, and several singers from the New Home
area. including the person who wrote the song, Ann Cowan.
|
