Photo By: Wayne Tozzi / Opry North

Opry North

Name: Jim Witter

Age: 36

Birth Date: November 2, 1964

Birthplace: Hamilton, Ontario

Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario

Resides In: You guessed it – Hamilton, Ontario…for now!

Pets: None – everybody’s allergic!!

Group name: N/A

Instruments played: Guitar, piano, spoons

Started performing at age: 10

Most memorable performance:  Hmmm…hard question…opening for Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Steve Wariner, Wynonna…all were very memorable.

What do you do to relax:  Play with the kids…watch “The Simpson’s”…Get a babysitter, and go out to dinner with Rebecca…at this time in my life (3 young children), not much time to relax!

Finished CD’s: Two…now cutting tracks for number three…

CD’s for Sale:  “All My Life” – released 1998

                         “Jim Witter” – released 1993

Management:  DMD Entertainment

                        3110 American Drive, Suite 102

                        Mississauga, Ontario

                        L4V 1A9

                        (Contact: Derrick Ross)

                        PH: (905) 405 – 8800

                        FAX: (905) 405 – 1399

Record Label: Curb Records  - (Distributed by EMI Canada)

                        47 Music Square East

                        Nashville, TN  37203

                        PH: (615) 321 – 5080

                        FAX: (615) 327 – 1964

   Jim Witter began his musical ‘career’ as soon as he could hold a guitar and reach a keyboard, which is an indication that he was meant for a life in music.  As one of four boys born and raised in the southern Ontario “Steel City” of Hamilton (where Jim still lives, with wife Rebecca and their three kids), Jim has admitted that he was exposed to all of the variants of his brothers’ musical tastes while he was growing up and it was only later on that he realized that country was the format for him.  But at seven, when he was putting shows on in the living room (and considering that we’re the same age) I can imagine that it wasn’t George Jones or Ian Tyson that he was emulating for the folks…but that’s another story.  Jim evolved by fourteen into a songwriter (Hooray for us!) and wrote his first song, called “Maybe Someday You’ll Be Mine”.  That title alone suggests either maturity beyond his years or one heck of a crush on somebody at school…but it was definitely a sign of things to come. 

   When he was ready to put his career on the front burner he recorded his first CD, “Jim Witter”, which got him the attention that he deserves and brought him quite a satisfactory level of success.  His single “Everything And More” was the first debut Canadian single to enter the National Country Chart at a very reasonable #40.   By the time he was ready to go for number two a lot of things had changed…he was now the father of two and an artist signed to Curb Records.  He recorded “All My Life” in Mississauga Ontario and Nashville and the title track was co-written by Jim’s very good friend (and frequent host) Steve Wariner. This personal friendship and professional collaboration has worked it’s magic many times now, with the Wariner composed “Hands Of Time” showing up on both CD’s and the Witter/Wariner tune “Turn In The Road” making it to Steve’s 2000 Capitol Records release “Faith In You”. 

   Jim’s singles from “All My Life” have been frequent visitors to CMT, TNN (before they abandoned music videos) and on country radio everywhere.  Jim’s also racked up many accomplishments since, among them a new son, eight of his songs going ‘Top 10’ and his song “Be Like Noah” going to #2 on the Christian Country charts in the States.  He was also thrilled to be asked to sing the title track, “Wings Of A Dove” for a compilation CD featuring fellow artists JoDee Messina, LeAnn Rimes and Tim McGraw (among others).  This year will see the release of his latest project; a Christian Country album being recorded as we speak and you can count on seeing him wherever there’s a good cause being supported.  And speaking of that…

   The family man (that is the biggest part of) Jim Witter has always been there for a good/heartwarming cause and that’s where we’ve run into him many times.  One of the latest projects that Jim’s embraced is the Golden Horseshoe’s (the Niagara area for those not from Ontario) Project Sarah.  Sarah Smith was a beautiful little girl who passed away on February 6, 2000 from cancer at 3 ½ years of age and as a tribute to her, in his grief, Steve McElroy had written the words to a song “Heaven Must Have Needed You More”.  Steve approached Jim with the words and Jim wrote and arranged the music, aided in Steve’s publishing the song and sang it on the recording.  It was originally intended as a gift to the family, but when the original 50 copies of it were gone and the requests for it kept coming in a decision was made to provide it for sale to the public with all the profits being donated to charities that support cancer research, support for the families of cancer patients and for the care of cancer patients themselves.  That Jim would be such a supporter is no surprise to those of us who know how much children mean to him.  By the way, Jim will be singing this song on the upcoming Annual Mothers Day Telethon to benefit the Children’s Hospital at McMaster University Medical Centre on CH TV on Sunday May 13, 2001 (formerly OnTV) being broadcast from Hamilton.

   Jim Witter has been quoted on his website as saying “I love country music.  It’s honest and real – exactly how I like to think of myself.”  Well, as someone who’s been able to say “Hi Jim” and get that all-important hug in return, I have to tell you that quote is him to a T!  If you could take the emotion you hear in his voice and the smile you see in his videos for being the real thing you still wouldn’t come close to how fantastic a guy he really is.  He really feels that passion for the song and for singing, and it comes out every time.  He really appreciates the folks who will come out and sit there while he sings to them, and it shows in the way he’ll stand there until he’s been able to say hi to every person afterward.  He is more than willing to lend his voice and his presence to something to benefit someone else if it will mean a great deal to them because I’m sure he feels ‘what good is celebrity if you can’t use it for good?’ And when it comes to his family, I’m sure he’ll tell you they would be his favourite co-stars in his videos (and they’ve been in a few now).  Honest and real?  If he weren’t, I wouldn’t count myself as one of his biggest fans.

   I’ve ‘bumped’ into Jim at quite a few things now, and had the chance to spend New Year’s Eve at his show in Hamilton just a few months ago.  We know A LOT of the same people, like country pals John Landry, Jamie Warren, Rich Baker, Thomas Wade (and on and on) and the one thing you never fail to see is how well they all fit together.  Colleagues yes, but more than that they have the ability to appreciate each other’s achievements and talent (and when they get together, it’s almost heart-stopping how much talent they all have).  They love to tease each other, will jump at the chance to work or play together and lend support to each other without hesitation.  And that type of stuff doesn’t happen if you’re the sort who’s hat’s on a little too tight, you get me?  If you can count success by the amount of friends who love you, then Jim’s had more success than dozens of people put together. 

   Speaking of friends, one of Jim’s south-of-the-boarder buddies is (as I mentioned earlier) Steve Wariner.  Now, the amount of songs that they’ve worked on together and the amount of trips down south that Jim’s required to take have meant that they see each other quite a bit.  That was indicated when Jim happened to remark that Steve’s guest house has become known in Steve’s family as “Jim’s House”.  It makes me wonder if “Jim’s House” got some use when Jim had to travel down in November to appear on the Christian Country Music Awards, held at the Ryman Auditorium and hosted by Linda Davis and John Berry.  Jim would sing “Wings Of A Dove” and told of an incident that lent an “only on live television” moment to the show.  It seems that the plan was that the hosts would invite the other ‘performers’ present up on stage at the end of the show to sing “W.O.A.D.” for the closing of the show, and Jim would lead them off.  Well, with the announcement (or invitation) for ‘everyone to come on up’ the audience misunderstood, and much to everyone’s surprise (and shock) several hundred people in the audience headed up on stage too.  Now, before you think I’m spilling Jim’s secrets, I heard these stories on interviews Jim’s given to another mutual friend, 820 CHAM’s Joel Christie.  So yes, I can tell them to you.

   When you hear Jim on the radio or on television you may think at first that he’s quite a ‘country star’.  Yes, he is.  And you may think that he couldn’t possibly sound like that in person.  Well, you’d be wrong – he sounds better in person.  And if you ever think he’d be ‘too busy’ to say hi if you see him, think again.  You’d be the recipient of a wide, genuine smile and a firm handshake (but not too firm, musicians aren’t bone-crushers you know) and if you’re really lucky, you’d get a hug.  There won’t be large Bruno type guys between you (maybe unlike Curb pal Tim McGraw) and he may be out somewhere, carrying his own guitar (what! No roadies?), a quiet, humble guy getting through his day.  So, honest and real?  How could he be anything but?

If you would like to see Jim ‘In Concert’ and you live in Southern Ontario, he will be appearing at the following:

“Me & Them” – Unplugged

An Intimate Concert

Featuring Rich Baker with Special Guests

John Landry

Jim Witter

Fred Hale

Wednesday June 13, 2001 – 8 PM

The Church Theatre

1376 King St. N

St. Jacobs, Ontario

Tickets are available from Scooters Café/ St. Jacobs Factory Outlet Mall

Or call (519) 669 – 4663 or email richhits@hotmail.com

   We would like to thank Jim Witter for his enthusiasm and his help in regard to this profile.  I have the utmost respect and admiration for Jim and all he’s been able to accomplish and one of the highlights of doing this type of work is being so proud of the people you feel are ‘friends’.  I like to think of Jim as one of my ‘Three J’s”, and I’d do anything for any of them…thanks Jim.

Written by Kim Jamieson

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