Jimi Behringer

James Thomas "Jimi" Behringer (born July 19, 1953) is an American session guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has worked with notable artists such as Prince, Bonnie Raitt, Bobby Caldwell, Laura Branigan, The Jets, Ben Sidran, Willie Murphy, 94 East, Gypsy, Kitarō and Jeff Lorber.

He is a co-writer on Caldwell's August Moon album and was included as a session guitarist on the Prince single "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World".

Biography

James was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Joan Patricia Sullivan and Cecil Richard Behringer. He began playing guitar at the age of 10 and performed in his older brother's band and local neighborhood bands. His father was a renowned inventor and metallurgist who worked and consulted for aerospace and engineering firms. The two collaborated to create Behringer Bicycles after he convinced Cecil, a champion six day bike racer during the Great Depression, to create modern race bicycles using cutting edge manufacturing methods his father was developing in the mid 1970s. James decided after several years working at Behringer Bicycles to pursue his passion of music.

Career

He began his professional career working with the local Minneapolis band, Good Vibrations. After leaving Good Vibrations, he joined The James Walsh Gypsy Band. He became the lead guitarist and cowriter for the group, going on to record two albums, including the recently released Muscle Shoals album.

Moving to Florida after Gypsy disbanded, he was introduced to Bobby Caldwell by a radio DJ who had heard Behringer's demo tapes. Caldwell invited him to join in writing his new album and they spent two years recording August Moon, which was critically well received in Japan and went on to receive Gold certification.

In 1984 he was hired to work with the platinum selling artist Laura Branigan as a guitarist and background singer on her Self Control album tour. Touring with Branigan brought him to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and to a live performance recording at Caesars Tahoe.

Jeff Lorber heard Behringer perform with Branigan and offered to hire him as a lead guitarist and background singer for Lorbers' upcoming Facts Of Love tour. Once the Lorber tour was completed Behringer spent some time writing his own songs and built his first home recording studio.

In 1988, Behringer was hired to perform on tour with the Japanese new age artist Kitaro. The tour was to promote The Light of the Spirit album and was the first time an American band was used to back a Japanese artist. Behringer found himself surrounded by an array of talented musicians ranging from Mahavishnu Orchestra members to veteran session musicians in the industry.

Between tours, he was working as a session musician in his hometown of Minneapolis, regularly working with top producers and artists. In 1994, Behringer was brought in as a session musician on the top 10 Prince single "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World".

Discography

• James Walsh Gypsy Band (RCA Records, 1978)
• James Walsh Gypsy Band "Muscle Shoals 1979" (Gypsy Family Productions, 2008)
• Bobby Caldwell "August Moon" (PolyGram Records, 1983)
• The Jets "The Jets" (Grammy Nomination) (MCA Records, 1985)
• Willie Murphy "Mr. Mature" (Atomic Theory Records, 1988)
• Steve Kindler "Across A Rainbow Sea" (Global Pacific Records, 1990)
• Felton Pilate/MC Hammer Project (Paisley Park, 1990)
• Ricky Peterson "Night Watch" (Warner Brothers Records, 1990)
• Jevetta Steele "Here It Is" (Uno Musique Musidisc, 1991)
• Dr. Fink and the Mystery Band "Hooked On A Beatles Tribute" (K Tel Records, 1992)
• NBC Movie The Keys (1992)
• Ricky Peterson "Smile Blue" (Go Jazz Records, 1992)
• The Steeles "Heaven Help Us All" (Electra Musician, 1993)
• Jimi Behringer "Think 2 Much" (DieselRocker Records, 1994)
• Jimmy McGriff "McGriff Blues" (K Tel, 1994)
• Prince "Gold Experience" (Warner Brothers NPG Records, 1995)
• Rosie Gains "Closer Than Close" (Motown Records, 1995)
• Ricky Peterson "A Tear Can Tell" (Go Jazz Records, 1995)
• Clementine/Ben Sidran "Solita" (GoJazz Records, 1996)
• France Gall "Message Personnel" (Warner Music France, 1996)
• Jimi Behringer "Livin' On Mars" (GoJazz Records, 1999)
• Ricky Peterson "Souvenir" (Windham Hill Records, 1999)
• 94 East "Fortune Teller" Feat. Prince on guitar (Reo Deo Records, 2002)
• Jimi Behringer "Expressed" (String Theory Digital Disc, 2005)
• Jimi Behringer "Dying To Live" (String Theory Digital Disc, 2005)
• Ricky Peterson "Best Of. Vol 1&2" (Celebration Records, 2009)
• Rockie Robbins "Good Life" (Expansion Records, 2019)