Jimi Jamison best known as the lead singer for the band Survivor from 1984-1989 and again from 2000-2006. Born in rural Mississippi, Jamison moved with his mother to Memphis, Tennessee, at a very young age, and he considers himself a Memphis native. In addition to honing his vocal abilities, Jamison dabbled in guitar growing up. By middle school, he was playing in a band. He would later sing for the bands Target and Cobra and provided background vocals for other bands including ZZ Top. After the demise of Cobra in 1983/84, he was invited to audition for Survivor. Although he was initially not adamant about fronting what he considered more of a "pop rock" band, which would contrast significantly with the heavy metal stylings of Cobra to which he had become accustomed, Jamison ultimately got the job and became Survivor's new frontman, and is today the most recognizable and best known of the group.
Among his best known performances are "Burning Heart", from the Rocky IV movie with Sylvester Stallone, which hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, "High On You" (#8 US), and "The Search Is Over" (#4US). Jamison also co-wrote and sang "I'm Always Here," the theme from the hit TV show Baywatch. In 1989, Jamison was briefly considered as the lead vocal replacement for Deep Purple, who had just fired Ian Gillan. Said Purple organist Jon Lord of Jamison in a 1993 interview, "He was an enormous Deep Purple fan and he would happily have taken over the job. But at the time he was afraid of his managers. They didn't want him to leave [Survivor] and he didn't dare to get into a fight with them." Deep Purple instead hired former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner.
Jamison would later reunite wth Survivor in 2000, and he ended up remaining with the band up through the release of their new album in 2006. In 2005, Jamison was featured with the band in the Emmy-nominated Starbucks commercial which parodied Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." Also in 2005, Jamison performed a duet on "It Takes Two" with teen singer Whitney. Wolanin. In 2008 Jamison released a new CD in Europe Crossroads Moment, which was also released in the United States in 2009. Today, Jimi Jamison is still touring the world with his own show... performing all of his hits!
Living Legemds Music interview with Jimi Jamison Part 1 of 7
JIMI JAMISON DISCOGRAPHY
TARGET…….Target 1976
TARGET…….Captured 1977
COBRA……..First Strike 1983
SURVIVOR..Vital Signs 1984
When Seconds Count 1976
As on previous albums, Survivor splits things between melodic pop rock and power ballads…”Keep It Right Here”, “Backstreet Love Affair”, and the title track being the other standouts. After original singer Dave Bicklet (“Eye of theTiger” Fame), left Survivor in 1983, the group picked up where they left off with newcomer Jimi Jamison on vocals, churning out even more hits – notable another ROCKY related mega-hit with “Burning Heart”. 1986’s “WHEN SECONDS COUNT”, shows the band following it’s previous pop rock formula. It scored another TOP 10 hit with “Is This Love”.
SURVIVOR…The Best Collection 1986
SURVIVOR…When Seconds Count 1986
SURVIVOR…Too Hot To Sleep 1988
Recorded at Right Track Studios, New York And Royal Recorders, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
JIMI JAMISON…Rock Hard 1991
JIMI JAMISON....When Love Comes Down 1991
SURVIVOR...Greatest Hits 1993
SURVIVOR…Prime Cuts 1998
JIMI JAMISON….Empires 1999
SURVIVOR…Special Selections 2000
SURVIVOR…Ultimate Survivor 2004
With Whitney Wolanin…Funkology XII 2005 – Jimi Jamison. Track Listing of songs: Good; Super Star; Wake Up Everybod; It Takes Two; Heatwave; Too Many Fish in the Sea; This Old Heart of Mind; Quicksand; Young and In Love; Honey Chile; Whitney’s Monkey; Head to Love; Brokenhearted.
SURVIVOR…Best of Survivor 2006
SURVIVOR…Reach 2006
JIMI JAMISON…Crossroads Moment 2008. Frontiers Records released in November 2008….Re-leased In The U.S. April 8, 2009
