Thanks to a tour that brought him to Europe while supporting his 2009 record Still Jimmie, Sackville resident and musician Shotgun Jimmie (Kilpatrick) has stumbled upon a newfound confidence with his latest record Transistor Sister. The record is being hailed as one of his strongest to date; like a fine wine, Jimmie seems to continually get better with age.
In the course of our conversation, Jimmie is the first to admit that the excitement of his European tour helped to shape the material heard on Transistor Sister.
“I was so amazed and excited the whole time I was on that European tour and I think that comes out on the record,” he says. “I can’t begin to tell you how inspiring the tour was. At the time, I was feeling like the luckiest guy in the world and I think that can be a great head space to be in, especially when writing pop music.”
In addition to marking some of his most buoyant material to date, Jimmie’s newest record also marks the first time that he has recorded in a professional studio, The Confidence Lodge located on the south shore of Nova Scotia.
Having purchased his first four-track recorder in 1996, Jimmie says that he made his prior efforts on his own at home out of convenience and not a fear of technology.
“Learning and experimenting has always been a huge part of my process when making a record.
“It was new and exciting to work in a pro studio, but surprisingly similar to the home recording approach.
“I would say the main reason why I haven’t done much work in a proper studio is that studio time is so expensive and I have always been fortunate enough to have the means to get it done elsewhere.”
Looking at the year ahead, Jimmie has appearances at the Dawson City Folk Festival, The Regina Folk Festival and Sackville’s Sappyfest on his radar. Also in the works is a return trip to Europe, a trip that he will be greatly anticipating for more than just the opportunity to play music.
“I found touring Europe to be very different than touring this part of the world. Europe is famous for its hospitality towards artists and musicians so most places treat you extremely well. Plus the cheese and wine are unbelievable!”
Shotgun Jimmie is celebrating the release of his latest record Transistor Sister with a show at the Royal Canadian Legion on Lorne Street in Sackville tomorrow night. His special guest for the show is Saskatchewan band Slow Down, Molasses.
Article published in March 25, 2011 edition of the Times & Transcript