Real name: Jim Reilley

Effective period / Period of releases: 2003

Producer/bassist Jim Reilley will most likely be remembered as a founding member (along with musical partner Reese Campbell) of seminal folk rock band The New Dylans. Founded in 1986,the band barnstormed the US throughout the 90’s and won critical praise from Rolling Stone (who called their songs “offbeat classics”) and virtually every other major music publication and major newspaper. The Village Voice placed the band in the top 5 Ep’s of 1986 in their prestigious Pazz and Jop Poll. The band won the hearts and minds of manyfans in the then burgeoning AAA American radio format and had several feature spots on important tastemaking radio shows including NPR’s All Things Considered, Idiot’s Delight with Vin Scelsa, Danny Bonaduce’s WLUP show, Mountain Stage, World Café and Acoustic Café. MIchael Stipe of R.E.M. proclaimed The New Dylans his favorite band of 1986 and Natalie Merchant (of 10,000 Maniacs) would often jump onstage and sing with the band.

After 9 years of solid touring with his band The New Dylans, often over 175 dates a year sharing stages with many luminaries including R&R Hall Of Famers The Band, Reilley moved to Nashville to sign a writing and production deal with Curb Records. As a songwriter, Reilley had over 50 songs recorded by such artists as Hal Ketchum, Sam Bush, Vince Gill, Lauren Daigle, Hillary Scott, Claudia Church, Leann Rimes, Cowboy Crush, Jana Kramer, Tim O’Brien and had a European hit with Danish Rock legend Peter Belli. Albums produced by Reilley have won Best Album awards at Kerrville Folk festival and Merlefest as well as The John Lennon Songwriting Competition and many of them have gone on to be released by major labels and many have garnered millions of spins on Spotify and other streaming services.

The New Dylans reunited in 2016 and released the critically acclaimed album “Meta”. Nashville’s daily newspaper The Tennessean documented the entire process of the band reuniting from the writing of the songs through recording to the tour dates that followed. The documentary (Band On The Brink) chronicled the current realities, difficulties and triumphs of releasing an album in a world where no one seems to be buying music anymore. The film won several prestigious journalism awards and is still viewable on youtube.

In his career, Reilley has produced or made music with Sheryl Crow, Hal Ketchum, David Mead, Al Perkins, Pam Tillis, Lauren Daigle, Lee Brice, John Osborn of Bothers Osborn, Pure Prairie League, Leann Rimes, Poco, Daniel Tashian, Hillary Scott, Carly Pierce, Jana Kramer, Linda Davis, Vince Gill, Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys, The Mavericks, Jack Ingram, Leah Andreone, Diamond Rio, Hank Williams Jr, Jett Williams, Minton Sparks, Joy Lynn White, Sam Bush, Tim O’ Brien and regularly works members of The Jayhawks, Wilco, Genesis, Cheap Trick, Buckcherry, The Milk Carton Kids, John Mellencamp, The Doobie Brothers, The Dead Boys, Counting Crows, The Wallflowers, Richard Lloyd of Television, Joe Perry Band, The Black Crowes, Old Crow Medicine Show, Poco, The Cowsills, The Bangles, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Jack White band, Ten Years After, The Black Keys, The Band, The Beach Boys, 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M.

Currently, Reilley is focusing mostly on producing, primarily on emerging rock and Americana artists, playing numerous sessions and continuing to compose original instrumental music for film /television. Reilley also is a member of experimental noise rock avant-garde ensemble The Birdwatcher Experiment. Reilley also headed up Grammy nominated Nashville indie label Plowboy Records in 2020.