Jim Richter is a multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, banjo, guitar) who over the last 40 years has focused on roots-based American music with a special focus on acoustic blues. Jim started his musical life as a bluegrass banjoist, followed by many years as an electric guitarist specializing in the styles of Freddy King and Hollywood Fats. However, the last two decades, blues mandolin has truly been the niche Jim was meant to embrace. Jim has become recognized as one of the leaders in blues mandolin and was recognized as such in Mandolin for Dummies. Also, Jim’s extensive knowledge of guitar-based classic blues rock has led him to transcribe and arrange many tunes formandolin that show how versatile the mandolin can be in reimagining rock tunes without “bluegrassifying” them.

Jim is most proud of the work he has done in mandolin education especially for adult learners. Partnering with Don Julin, Jim developed the Jim Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us. Jim’s curricula have included in-depth studies of blues mandolinists Papa Charlie McCoy and
Johnny Young, shuffles, blues-rhythms, pentatonic scales, blues improvisation, blues instrumental construction, linkage of blues to bluegrass, arranging blues rock tunes for mandolin, and other traditional mandolin pedagogy.

Jim’s discography includes his own In-Tuition series, The Road Home (tribute to Butch Baldassari), Tribute to Yank Rachell, Hootenanny with Gordon Bonham (live concert DVD), and Too Damn Cold by the Forecasters.