Born in Cleveland, Ohio, the grandson of Irish railroad workers Jeff Finlin is a very unique artist. His career has taken many twists and turns…and now the highway continues with his latest release … Ballad of a Plain Man.
The third and final leg of a Trilogy series that included Somewhere South of Wonder and Epinonymous (Angels in Disguise), Ballad of a Plain Man leads us through the final journey of an everyman hero, Willie Ray Babel, and his quest for Spiritual Liberation at the hands of the Modern World. Set in a Stark American Musical Landscape Finlin pulls our hearts and minds along a dusty broken trail toward Willie’s liberation and eventual freedom.
Jeff started out traveling America in autos, trains, planes, and hitchhiking, before settling down to play in bands in Boston, Ohio and L.A. He finally wound up in Nashville with long-time mate Gwil Owen ("A Softer Place to Fall") to form the rock band the Thieves, which put out the Marshall Crenshaw produced "Seduced by Money" on Capitol Records. In 1993, he went on to produce the self-released "Lonely Light". In 1994 he produced the Little Dog/ Mercury release, "Highway Diaries”.
“Finlin writes with the minimalist grit of Sam Shepard and Raymond Carver—Tune in for a Illusive Majic”…Chicago Sun Times
Next it was on to New York, where Jeff incorporated the likes of Mark Ribot (Tom Waits and Elvis Costello) and Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan), to produce Original Fin, which was released on BMG/Gravity in the UK and Ireland and NBFNY in the U.S.
“A do it yourself piece of Musical Brilliance—Simply Manna to the Literate songwriter’s soul”…Music Row Magazine
Then in 2002 "Somewhere South of Wonder” came out with a vengeance, garnering Finlin 'Album of the Year' accolades including Virgin Radio's Captain America show, and a tour opening for Steve Earle in the U.K. and Ireland.
“Finlin is a True Find!”…Uncut Magazine
The much anticipated follow-up, “ANGELS IN DISGUISE” - recorded in Colorado and Nashville with long-time cohorts Will Kimbrough and Pat Buchanan, picks up in the stark American landscape where "Somewhere South of Wonder" left off. It recalls the work of Newman, Waits and other American pioneers who have channeled there experience into their work. “ANGELS IN DISGUISE” was released by Warner Brothers U.K. in September 2006 and Rykodisc in the U.S. April 2007.
Jeff’s work has been highlighted in numerous TV and Film projects… including the song “Sugar Blue” pictures film “Elizabethtown”, written and directed by Cameron Crow.
Source: http://www.jefffinlin.com/documents/JeffFinlinBio.doc
