Jimmy McCulloch - Biography

Biography

Born in Dumbarton and raised in Clydebank and Cumbernauld, Scotland, McCulloch began to play the guitar at the age of 11 and at that age, he made his performance debut as the guitarist for The Jaygars, which was later known as One in a Million. One in a Million performed live in support of The Who during The Who's tour of Scotland in 1967. That year, One In A Million released their "Fredereek Hernando / No Smokes" single. Double Sight, a CD compilation of these and other songs written and recorded by the band, was released in 2009.

In April 1967, McCulloch played lead guitar for The Utterly Incredible, Too Long Ago To Remember, Sometimes Shouting At People during the 14-Hour Technicolour Dream event, which was held on the grounds of the Alexandra Palace in London. That year, he played guitar for One in a Million, which performed live at The Upper Cut and other London venues.

McCulloch first rose to fame in 1969 when he joined Pete Townshend's friends, Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman (piano) and songwriter John 'Speedy' Keen (vocals, drums), to form the band Thunderclap Newman. The band enjoyed a UK #1 hit with Something in the Air that year. Thanks to "Something In The Air", McCulloch is the youngest person to date to have performed on a number one hit song in the U.K. Thunderclap Newman's album, Hollywood Dream, on which McCulloch's titular instrumental then and his song "I See It All" later appeared, sold well but was not as successful as their hit single. From January 1971 until mid-April 1971, the band had toured England, Scotland, Holland, and Scandinavia before they disbanded in late April of that year.

In October 1971, McCulloch played guitar in concert with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers in England and Germany. On 31 October 1971 McCulloch's band Bent Frame made its performance debut in London. The band subsequently renamed itself the Jimmy McCulloch Band and toured England and Scotland in support of Leslie West's Mountain in February 1972. By then, McCulloch had done session work for Klaus Voorman, Harry Nilsson, Steve Ellis, John Entwistle, and others.

In June 1972, McCulloch joined the blues rock band (and fellow Mayall-school alumni) Stone The Crows to replace guitarist Les Harvey, who had been electrocuted on stage. McCulloch helped Stone The Crows to complete their 'Ontinuous Performance album by playing on the tracks "Sunset Cowboy" and "Good Time Girl". Stone The Crows disbanded circa May 1973.

In 1973, McCulloch played guitar on John Keen's album, Previous Convictions, had a brief stint in Blue and he played guitar on Brian Joseph Friel's debut album under the pseudonym 'The Phantom'.