“Growing up, every time we visited “Down East” as kids, music was the highlight of our trips.” Says Mandolin player Jim Gordon from Tupelo Honey.

Music has always been an integral part of Jim’s life from his earliest days in the city of Boston to rural Nova Scotia where his mother’s side of the family is from. Gordon says, “My Uncles played guitar and harmonica and there was always some kind of ‘step-dancing’ from my Mum to make our visit complete.” With help from his Uncle, Jim started playing the guitar.

High school was filled with The Beatles, ‘Teen sock hops’ and battles of the bands. While his parents were supportive of music they wisely advised Jim to make sure he had a back up plan for life. In college he was on air talent and Program Director for Northeastern University, which led to producing the news for Channel Seven in Boston. From there, on to an award winning career in journalism and television and film production in Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and Juneau, Alaska.

Jim has always used music in every aspect of his career. “…Woke up, it was a Chelsea morning…” (Joni Mitchell) was the soundtrack for one of his first TV film essays riding through early morning Boston. In fact, one of Jim’s greatest treasures is John Lennon doing a promo for him in 1969. “This is John Lennon with Jim Gordon and we’re for peace, Baby. Give peace a chance and remember love.”

Hearing the accomplished mandolin player David Grisman inspired Jim to play the mandolin. Jim says, “Grisman, with an interest in Jazz, classical and blues, took the mandolin to a new level beyond the familiar bluegrass.” That’s a model that Jim follows to this day. His mission is to explore the instrument to it’s fullest potential. With Tupelo Honey and their tremendous harmonies, Jim’s mandolin adds a fourth voice to the mix.

Jim continues to develop his jazz guitar chops with teachers from Berklee College Of Music and The New England Conservatory. He especially loves to improvise and to accompany singers performing standards from the American Songbook. He appears with his own Jazz groups in venues throughout Boston and the South Shore.

Playing with Tupelo Honey really showcases the rhythm that heats up with Dave Yaeger’s djembe, Jim Schulze’s Nine string strumming and Jim Gordon’s mandolin topped off with the sweet harmony of Louise Adams. In Jim’s words, “It’s a story from the heart—that will set your sprit free.”