Jim Pharis - Having a Ball

This is a homespun CD with home-style finger pickin’ and singin’. Just Jim and his guitar. His songs would go over really big with country folk – I can imagine him sitting with a bunch of guys, passing around a pint of rot gut and jamming the night away. (Or, if Jim doesn’t do John Barleycorn, then a pot of really strong coffee with chicory instead!)

The lyrics are folksy – he does mighty fine pickin’ and he has a jolly sense of humor – you can hear the Louisiana-Bluesiana influences. You can smell the Jumbalaya, you can hear the crickets singin’, you can see the gators grinnin’.

“Bare-ass Boogie” and “Knot-Headed Woman” are humorous little jaunts into the realm of silly.

“The Cure” is a real purdy instrumental piece, played in an open G with a slide guitar.

“Lazy Sunday Morning” was composed for his wife. A true ballad of love:

“It’s a lazy Sunday morning,
the only thing I’m gonna do,
is stay right here
and spend some time right here with you”

“Middle Aged White Guy” and “Lottery Blues” are both rooted in humor too. They are listed as Tracks 5 and 6, but their order is flipped on the album. 

“Ways Like a Crawfish” was written by Bo Carter and is played nicely in G6 tuning.

“Lefty’s Rag” was composed by Jim too – a sweet little instrumental diddy, dancing over the strings.

“Let the Mermaids Flirt With Me” is Jim’s cover of a Mississippi John Hurt song – a creative solution to expensive funeral arrangements!

“When my earthly trials are over
Cast my body out into the sea
Save on the undertaker bills
Let the Mermaids Flirt With Me.”

You can contact Jim at his website jimpharis.com