Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy Sullivan.
Hi Jimmy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was very young when a family friend pointed out to my parents that I seemed to have a natural ear for music. Mom and dad subsequently put me in different music classes and instrument lessons (piano, clarinet and singing in choir) that didn’t stick with me and I lost interest quickly. It wasn’t until I was in my later teens that a friend loaned me a bass guitar he had bought at a pawn shop so we could start a punk band. The band never came to fruition but I did finally find an instrument I fell in love with, the bass guitar.
I was mostly self-taught and learned by playing with anyone who would jam with me. After high school I started formal music studies in college. It was there I discovered jazz. I fell in love with the genre and buried myself in it until I felt confident enough to play my first paying gig. I’ll never forget the feeling of making $50 just to play the bass. Getting paid to do something I loved felt like a dream come true. That was the moment I realized I wanted to be a professional musician and do this full time.
I attended Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts where I finished my BA in music performance. At graduation, I was already working enough to support my admittedly humble existence as a full-time musician. I was playing gigs of all genres and types from gospel to hip-hop and appreciated how much that rounded me as a person and an artist.
I moved to New York City after college where I continued to dig into jazz. I also found myself increasingly drawn to folk and Americana music, expanding both my musical vocabulary and the kinds of artists I worked with. Those ten years led me on a path to Nashville, where I’ve continued building a career as a freelance bassist, continuing to build on the depth of multi-genre experiences I’d had up to arriving here.
I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have had to help facilitate the growth of the jazz community in Nashville’s ever changing music scene. The opening of Rudy’s Jazz Room changed everything on that front —not just for me, but for the many talented and creative musicians who were trying to build a thriving jazz community in a city that is often only described as a place to hear country music. Watching that scene grow, and getting to be part of it, has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This line of work in the arts is both exciting and incredibly rocky day to day. Fluctuating factors like bad weather canceling a festival you’re booked at, a longtime local venue closing, private parties and weddings where the groom got cold feet at the last second – all of that is not including that the cost of musical gear and car repairs has nearly doubled over the last decade, while the average pay for musicians has hardly changed, even at the billboard charted artists-playing-arenas level.
Beyond the financial uncertainty, the job itself is challenging. Working with a songwriter often means learning tons of material on short notice and either getting one short rehearsal or no rehearsal at all before the show. Playing improvised music requires you to be completely present and locked in. It takes thousands of hours of practice to develop the skills and every time you step on stage, you’re starting from scratch. The audience doesn’t care how much you’ve practiced or how impressive your résumé is—they only hear what you play that night. People pay good money to see live music and the bassist’s job is to support the song, make the band sound good, and create a groove that makes people want to move. It’s a job I take very seriously.
The lifestyle itself can also be challenging. It can be difficult to not give the people you care about as much time as you’d like due to all of the travel, practice and preparation that goes into tours, festivals, showcases and recording albums.
Regardless of the downsides, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. Getting to work with incredible musicians I respect, getting to travel around the world, connect with audiences, and earn a living doing something I genuinely love makes every challenge worthwhile.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Today, my day-to-day and week to week are varied with what the music industry throws at me – I’m sure every Nashville instrumentalist can relate to that. I of course practice bass guitar, upright bass and vocals every day depending on who I’m touring or gigging with, but there’s a ton of time spent charting and arranging music for other artists who trust my ears to bring an experienced and professional polish to their tunes. I also teach music classes at local workshops and give private lessons. I’m grateful for all of the opportunities and appreciate having the diversity in my routine because of my work.
While I still play the bass guitar, these days I’m most known for playing the upright bass. Playing jazz is probably what I’m best at and most known for locally. I’ve been told that my soloing is what sets me apart from other bassists. I personally pride myself on my walking bass lines and being a supportive, musical bassist that adapts to whatever musical setting or genre I’m thrown into.
I’m grateful that I have so much to be proud of. I’m proud of having made it as full time musician that can support myself for as long as I have. I’m proud of having been trusted to play and tour with many world class musicians (Lee Ann Womack, Mark Collie, Ashley Campbell, Post Modern Jukebox, Tabitha Meeks, Nicole Zuraitis and Laila Biali to name a few). I’m especially proud of winning the Nashville Industry Music Award for Best Jazz Instrumentalist in 2018.
What makes you happy?
I am firstly very grateful that my means of making a living makes me happy – I know that is rare on its own. Making music with people I enjoy playing with does the trick but the majority of things that make me happy have nothing to do with music. I have a lot of hobbies that keep me busy outside of the music business that I’m thrilled to partake of with my partner, family and friends. I love exploring the novel parts of life with my girlfriend, Tina. We’re both foodies and I’ve taken up a lot more cooking and baking as of late. I love watching a show with her, seeing horror movies in the theater with our friends, meeting up with my favorite fiddle player friend Derek to play VR video games or heading to the sports bar to watch an NBA game with friends.
I am also grateful to be just as happy to sit at home in the quiet with my cats, enjoying the first sip of coffee while I sit outside and catch up on the day’s news or read a fantasy novel. Brandon Sanderson in particular is one of my favorites. I try to reflect every day on how lucky I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jimmysullivanbass.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejimmyhoops/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095533869037
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jimmysullivan52
