Jimi Jamison

by Linda Seida
Vocalist Jimi Jamison has long been associated with a number of bands, among them Survivor and Cobra. When his venture with Survivor broke down, he established his own band. He released several solo albums, beginning with When Love Comes Down in 1991. Empires, a CD that first saw release in Europe, followed in 1999. Fans of the television program Baywatch will recognize his voice from a song he penned for the show's theme, "I'm Always Here." The Mississippi native started out during the '70s with Target (members of the band still occasionally reunite for concerts). Jamison and the group put out a pair of albums for A&M and opened for Black Sabbath, Boston, and Kiss. He followed up with a stint in Cobra early the following the decade, putting together one recording for Epic Records. By 1984, the singer became a member of Survivor after auditioning in Chicago. The band already had chalked up a hit, "Eye of the Tiger," before he came on board. The song was featured in Rocky III in 1982. Jamison's tenure took the band through five Top Ten hits, appearances on numerous film soundtracks, and a handful of recordings that achieved gold and platinum status. His first appearance was on the Vital Signs album, and he took the band into the Top 20 with the singles "Can't Hold Back," "Search Is Over," and "High on You." "Burning Heart," the theme for the next Rocky sequel in 1985, hit pop's number two spot. Another Top Ten slot followed with "Is This Love," but Survivor soon broke up and Jamison was on his own in 1987. His track record includes appearances on a number of television programs and half a dozen music videos. In addition to his solo recordings and his work with the bands above, he also contributed backup vocals to such artists as the Jeff Healy Band, Krokus, and ZZ Top. He is a founding member of the organization Voices of Classic Rock. Jamison's charity efforts include work on behalf of Tony LaRussa's ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation), the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Special Olympics, and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The governors of three states have bestowed commendations on the vocalist. In 2000, Jamison again teamed with other members of Survivor for a reunion. A tour with the bands Styx and REO Speedwagon followed. The reunion also took the band to Germany for a month-long series of concerts. His own backing band during the years away from Survivor included Lance Binder, Pete Mendillo, Klay Shroder, Paul Brown, Hal Butler, Jeff Adams, and Chris Adamson.