by Jason Ankeny
Country-jazz guitarist Jim Campilongo was born and raised in San Francisco. As a child he listened to records obsessively, finally acquiring his first guitar with Green Stamps; during high school, he regularly jammed with drummer pal Ken Owen, and at 17 began performing with area bands. Campilongo proceeded to live the rock and roll lifestyle for over a decade before he stopped drinking and renewed his commitment to mastering the guitar, practicing five or six hours each day; in early 1995, he formed the instrumental group the Ten Gallon Cats with Owen, pedal steel player Joe Goldmark and bassist Chris Kee, proceeding to forge a distinctive sound drawing upon the traditions of country, jazz and the blues. The band issued its self-titled debut LP in 1996, followed a year later by Loose; 1998's Table for One earned Campilongo a Bay Area Bammie award as Outstanding Americana/Roots Artist. Heavy appeared in early 2000. Live at the du Nord was issued a year later.