March 6, 2010 - Heard on NPR "Car Talk"!!
The "66 Newport Blues" was played on National Public Radio's show "Car Talk" this morning, episode 201010!!! We listen to Tom and Ray a lot on tour, and we're honored to be a part of the show! Check it out at www.cartalk.com! Peace and radio grease... SJ

February 10, 2010 - Tour, Merch, Pics, etc!!!
Well we made it back from Germany in 3 pieces! (nuck nuck nuck) Big thanks to all who came out and supported rockabilly! We got to see some old friends and made tons of new friends. Despite the "record snowfall", we had great turnouts and set two venue records for attendance.....Yeah!

We've got some new pictures up so check them out. Also, the new merch is up for sale! We've got a couple new YouTube videos up as well, check em out! Preproduction continues this week, trucking along smooth. Keep ya posted. Peace and grease ya'll.. SJ

"June 23, 2009" Access2Music Review...
Hey guys, check out http://access2music.info/ for the awesome reviews of some of the Germany shows last month!!!!!

5/19/09 - New videos, tour de-briefing...
Hey guys I got asked to do a video for my live rig and studio setup for the fine folks at Fender musical instruments! Check out the link here, and scroll down to "favorites"...
http://www.youtube.com/user/fendermusical

Also, our good pal Starr from Pennsylania covered "Carburetor", check her out here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtvYeyZaJtk

Tour was a blast, big thanks to the boys from Los Straitjackets for coming out to check us out and say hello, and our good pal Dibbs Preston from the Rockats for stopping to visit! Check back for photos this evening. We busted our butts this trip ya'll, pulling two all-nighters to make it from gig to gig. Im speaking for Nate and Randy here, but we're all sick of the van haha. Peace and grease guys, new album is in the works..
SJ

2/7/09 - John Brown's , next Friday!!!
Hey guys, next Friday, February 13, at John Brown's on the square in Marion, Illinois, we're recording a live CD!!! Photographers, party favors, the whole bit!!! Be there and get your picture in the booklet, and be heard on the disc!! Show starts at 8, see you there!!
Peace and Grease,
SJ

1/14/09 - Announcement
We are proud to announce that bassist Randy Hill is professionally endorsing Engelhardt upright basses! Randy has played Engelhardt basses his whole career with the Blacktops, and is proud to be working with the company on a professional level. Drop their site a visit, and tell them that you heard about them though Randy Hill of Skinny Jim and the Number 9 Blacktops! Check them out at www.engelhardtlink.com

1/6/09 - Northeast....
This weekend we'll be headed to Kingston, Torrington, and Philly for a couple of shows! Its been a few months since we've been up there, really looking forward to hanging out with everybody again!! New songs are still in the works, the holidays and a Dallas Alice tour have been keeping everybody as busy as possible. Keep you updated on the tour, peace and grease!
SJ

12/17/08 -
"Horsepower! Horsepower! available again!!"
"Hey ya'll we've been sold out for about a month now, but wait no longer! A new shipment of Horsepower! Horsepower! is here and ready! Check out our Merch page to get yours today. Thanks again!
Peace and Grease..
SJ"

11/19/08 - NEWS!
Hey guys, things may seem stagnant over here in Blacktops land, but a lot has been brewing. Make sure and listen close when you hear the new Black Diamond Harley Davidson commercials, thats yours truly you're hearing!

We'll be out East in a few weeks, really looking forward to playing with our good pals the Cocktail Shakers again in Pittsburgh, can't wait to hang out with Jim and crew in Cleveland, and raise hell with our good pals the Pussyfoot Girls!

Most of my time lately has been devoted to writing. Im trying to keep local shows to a minimum so that I can get this new album done! Frankly, Im ready to play new songs, haha. Things are coming along, Ill keep you posted.

We'll be touring national again in April! Woohoo! Probably be out for 3 weeks, then in June its over to Europe for a month. Dynamite and Jungle have been great to us - can't wait to meet all the great folks I've became friends with. Peace and grease ya'll
SJ

10/22/08 - "Taylor Sprehe we meet again....."
Third time's a charm ya'll!! First things first, a big thank you hug to Dallas Alice's Sean Hopkins for filling in on drums for the past few months until Taylor could get going with us!

Southern Illinois native Taylor Sprehe is now drumming full time with yours truly. Taylor and I played in The Accelerators for a few years together, and we're more than happy to have him on board in the Blacktops. I've been hitting him up to fill the spot for a while now, and Taylor's skills are high demand around here. He's a rock-n-roll drummer through and through, exactly what we want, more ROCK, less BILLY! Bye-bye traditionalists!

Taylor plays his first show with us tonight in St.Louis at the Way Out Club, with the Black Fortys (I think we broke Sean into the band in St. Louis also ha!) Taylor will also hit the highways out East with us in December and January, as well as playing Europe in the Summer of next year. Let's make him feel right at home, so make sure and boo him on stage as much as you do Randy and me!

Other news, expect to hear new tunes at some shows! Sorry it took so long, I've got a million things going on. "57 Dragstrip", "Hemi", "Punch It", and "Riptide" are almost polished out and ready to go! Thanks again for all your support - peace and grease!

~Skinny Jim

August 19, 2008 - Finland's Jungle Records welcomes Skinny Jim & the Number 9 Blacktops!
We are proud to annouce that we are now being distributed overseas by Jungle Records! - the premier distributor for rockabilly/surf/retro rock in Finland! Check out the site, and drop them a line and tell them thanks for supporting your favorite 5-star rockabilly band!

Also, the October 2 show at Carbondale, Illinois' Hangar 9 with Southern Culture on the Skids is confirmed! Its an earlier show, Ill keep you posted with ticket availability and prices as soon as possible.
Peace and grease...
SJ

July 29, 2008 - Gretsch lists Jim on artist page
Hey guys, Gretsch has listed me on the artist page! Go to Gretsch Guitar Artist Page Scroll down to the "J" section....so I'm between the Reverend Horton Heat, and Jimmie Webster (inventor of the tap technique of guitar! Remember Eddie Van Halen?!?!). Within earshot of Joe Perry from Aerosmith and George Harrison.....a Beatle!!! This is very humbling! The Artist Profile Pages are in the works, stay tuned!
Jim

There's more old news in the ARCHIVE