Jim Armstrong (guitarist)

Jim Armstrong ( born July 24, 1944 in Belfast, Northern Ireland ) is a British rock and blues guitarist.

Armstrong's musical career began in his school days. He initially played in Belfast at The Melotones, the house band of the club Romano's Ballroom. In the early 1960s he played for Them and Van Morrison, took with them on plates and accompanied them on their tours in Europe and the U.S., where he remained four years, there appeared and made recordings.

In about half of the 51 tracks, the recordings Them and Morrison 1965 to 1971, Armstrong was involved as a guitarist. During this time in the U.S., he played with The Doors, Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa. He was then elected as the third best guitar players ( behind Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa ).

After he left Them in 1969, he founded with Ray Elliot and Kenny McDowell, the band Truth. In the late 1970s, he was guitarist of the Northern Irish band Light in the 1980s, he played with Sk'boo and since the 1990s he runs the Jim Armstrong band.

In Northern Ireland, Armstrong is a sought-after studio musician; He has participated in numerous local productions and recordings of Ulster Television, BBC Television and various radio stations.