Biography

Jimmy C Hughes has been steeped in music and the business of music for as long as he can remember. Setting up Lemmy from Motorhead’s bass gear as a soon-to-be-less-than-naive 15 year old, bought his first pint of Guinness by Rory Gallagher, sourcing Wild Turkey whisky for legendary Hey Joe songwriter, Tim Rose; flour bombed by Gary Holton and The Heavy Metal Kids, teased mercilessly by a too hot to handle Dana Gillespie (‘HAVE HIM SCRUBBED AND BROUGHT TO MY ALTAR’), listening to Phil Collins’ bad jokes, playing pool with Chrissie Hynde and Sting, and with eyes and ears fully open and duly inspired onwards to his own career as a musician, songwriter and producer.

Jimmy began his professional journey at EMI with the New Wave one and a half hit wonders, The Banned, appearing on a host of television and radio shows including Top of The Pops and a session for the one and only John Peel whilst hitting the bottom reaches of the Top 30. From there to the wonderful Virgin Records and Richard Branson favourites, Cowboys International, working with Colin Thurston (Bowie, Duran Duran, Human League, Howard Jones) and Dennis McKay (Average White Band, Pat Travers)

The critically acclaimed, Original Mirrors followed and the hit record, Dancing With The Rebels. From there to Department S and the Europe-wide #1, Is Vic There? Jimmy also played the first ever rock tour of The Middle East, and huge festivals alongside the likes of Thin Lizzy, The Beach Boys, Dr Feelgood, The Stranglers and The Jam and so many more.

Since those heady early days Jimmy has gone on to work with, play alongside or jam with some of the greats in music – Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, Omar Hakim, Pete Townshend, Paul Weller, Terry Chimes of The Clash, to Pete Kircher of Status Quo, Suggs from Madness, keith levene from PIL, Greg Phillinganes, the guys from Atlanta funksters, Cameo, Latoyah Jackson, L.A Mix, Ralph Tresvant of New Edition, Sherrone, Alan Wilder of Depeche Mode, Billy Curry of The Cult and many, many more fab musicians. And producers including Mike Howlett (The Police, OMD) David Tickle (Blondie) Phil Harding (Stock Aitken & Waterman) to name but a few.

Jimmy C Hughes has forged a reputation as a bass player of power and soul with strong melodic creativity. He continues this work today in addition to his sessions, tours, teaching, and songwriting collaborations (he recently co-wrote the hit record, Love Me , featuring Chase & Status singer, Jacob Banks) by writing, producing and performing his own songs as Boardwalk Isabella, releasing four critically acclaimed singles that have been played on radio stations worldwide