I am very sorry to learn of this. I got a PM from his sister Dorothy informing me of Jim's death.
He and I had become friends a few years ago when we met at a festival in Memphis where I was performing.

He was very knowledgeable about folk music of all kinds, and we hit it off when we discovered that we both liked the Australian performer John Williamson.

One of my fondest memories of Jim is when he came on my tour to N. Ireland last November.

He loved the Giant's Causeway, and just sat on the stones soaking it all in. I have a photo of him with a big smile on his face, the picture of contentment, sitting there absorbing everything - the ocean air, the breeze, the smells, the view. I believe he'd be sitting there yet if we didn't have to go for dinner and a session!

We had a music session in Derry with my friend Declan Forde, and
he joined right in. Jim enjoyed Declan's stuff, and played some of it on his radio show, and the two became friends.

When he asked to borrow my guitar to do his party-piece, I was only too happy to let him tune it to open G and sing away.

He was a big man with a big heart, a magnanimous spirit, a gentle soul, and I for one am honored to have known him.

Rest easy, big fella.

Seamus