As the man behind one of the most enduring and entertaining artifacts of the 80's, Jim Keller could easily have fallen into the formula for a ?rock star? narrative?quick rise, overexposure, regrets, and all?thanks to ?867-5309/Jenny,? Keller's smash hit anthem with the San Francisco band Tommy Tutone, of which he was a co-founder. But rather than giving in to the rock and roll fate, Jim Keller forged his own path and, essentially, grew up.
After over a decade away from the performance side of the music business, Keller embarked on his first solo project as a musician in 2010. With its honest, easy-going tone, the catchy collective Sunshine In My Pocket evidenced his move forward as an artist. Keller's latest project, Soul Candy, recorded with members of his current live band and assorted friends, stands as a tribute to the ever-evolving story of a performing musician; documenting the alluring energy of Keller's live shows.
Keller's return to the studio came as a follow-up to the astounding success of his debut LP, but his path as a musician reconnecting to his art is a success story in itself. Keller got his start gracing the ears of ?hippies, red necks and cowboys,? while gigging his way through the bars, roadhouses and grange halls of Northern California. It wasn't until he met Tommy Heath that his first true band, Tommy Tutone, came to be. As Keller humbly recalls, ?I was too shy to stand up in front, he wasn't, and we both figured there was a mutual need. I remember we played one gig and someone said, put on sunglasses and a tie and ?you're new wave.' It worked?
As is true of most bands, Tommy Tutone eventually dispersed; and Keller set the gigging aside in search of a permanent job. So he brilliantly talked his way into a job with world-renowned composer Philip Glass. Worlds apart in many ways, Keller and Glass had in common the ability to operate on instinct; which landed Keller at the head of Glass's management and publishing companies. This career step, albeit truly remarkable, still had Keller itching to put music back in his own life. Setting out to let the "soul candy" back in, Keller rode the inspiration to his true calling. And with two projects in a year's time, it's clear he has no intention of stopping.
In time with his sophomore solo album, Jim Keller rocks out a story that echoes a life of rollicking soul; and of a musician who, following the spectacular success of a home run hit, made his second shot pure and simple, and on his own terms.