Born in London, Jim's family emigrated to Christchurch, New Zealand when he was a toddler. A the age of 13, Jim was introduced to the dubious charms of the ukelele and by his next birthday had begun a lifelong affair with the guitar. After a succession of high school bands, Jim enrolled for a Bachelor of Music degree at Canterbury University while at the same time expanding his musical horizons playing in rock bands, orchestras and with many of New Zealand's leading Jazz musicians. His reputation as a session bass player on innumerable live radio and TV shows saw him tour with, then #1 selling 60s icon Cilla Black and he soon moved to Auckland where he played on many of NZs iconic TV shows such as "Happen Inn" and on some of the biggest selling NZ albums of the era both as a bass player and a s a guitarist. After moving to London in 1973, Jim began a 5 year stint paying as a session musician and touring with a succession of bands and artists throughout Europe. After moving back to NZ at the end of the 70s Jim moved to Wellington, at that time the advertising centre of NZ and soon formed his own music production company, Soundtrax. Soundtrax was a huge success and over 25 years Jim became one of a handful of "go-to" composers and producers for ad-land winning over 40 Axis awards, 2 Gold Clios and a couple of Cannes Gold Lions. In 2009 Soundtrax merged with a top music licensing company to form Franklin Road and Jim still works exclusively through Franklin Road for all his NZ advertising and TV work.
Not that Jim's musical life has been all advertising. He has composed scores for a number of feature films, a large number of TV Themes, composed songs for numerous artists, had songs used in movies and tv shows and produced recordings for some of NZs top artists, twice being nominated for "Record Producer of the Year" and also for "Film Composer of the Year".
Jim has been recently tempted back onto the stage with various bands and shows including the ConRays, the Flab Four,  "Eddie Rayner Project" (with iconic Split Enz keyboardist Eddie Rayner), the acclaimed "Bowie Waiting In The Sky" show and "The Magnificent Seven" with NZ legends Jordan Luck and Peter Urlich not to forget singing with Auckland's Jubilation Choir.