CD's

Released Albums

Each album is available for $12.97. Just Click on the Album cover to listen to music samples and purchase cds from cdbaby.com.

The money from "The Train's A-Comin'" album goes to One Step At A Time (a camp for kids with cancer).

The money from "Rainbow in the Sky" album goes to the Menominee Indian Reservation (WI) Toys for Tots program.

Click on the track list for larger image. Click on each CD cover for a music sample.

Headin' Out

The Train's A-Comin'

Rainbow in the Sky

Then & Now & Again

Train Song Notes

The Whistle Junction band was active back in the early to mid 1990's. These days, mainly as a solo artist, Jim has recorded four CDs, all of which include at least several train or railroading songs. "Headin' Out," Jim's first album, out in 2002, includes several: "Daddy, What's A Train?," and "Starlight On The Rails," both by Utah Bruce Phillips, along with three by Jim: "Long-gone Days," "Hey There, Freight Train," and the CD title tune, an instrumental, "Headin' Out."

The second album, a collaboration with Jim's brother Mike and Jim's son-in-law Tim Herrick, is titled "Then & Now & Again," out in late winter of 2003. That CD includes the traditional "Railroading On The Great Divide" and one composed by Green Apple Folk Music Society songwriter Doug Wheeler, called "Midnight Ride." Jim says that's his favorite song on the CD!

Even more recently, Jim put together two albums aimed at helping two charities- The Menominee Reservation Toys for Tots program (Jim teaches at Keshena Primary School in the Menominee Indian School District), and One Step At A Time, a camp at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for children stricken with cancer. Both albums came out together (!) in the summer of 2003.

The first CD, "Rainbow in the Sky," a family-children's album-- with proceeds slated for the Menominee Toys for Tots program-- begins with Utah Phillips' "Daddy, What's A Train?" and also includes "Mulligan Stew," by Wisconsin folk music laureate Larry Penn. Also presented is Morningtown Ride, a train song lullaby written by the well-known late California songwriter Malvina Reynolds.

The second album, "The Train's A-Comin'," strictly a trains songs CD, focused entirely on railroading songs, has its proceeds going to the One Step At A Time cancer camp. While this train songs album includes some of Jim's earlier train songs recordings, there are six brand new tunes-all composed by Jim-including the album's title song,"The Train's A-Comin;" an instrumental tune, "Lonesome Whistlin' Freight Train Blues," with friends April Fredrick on violin and Brandon Royer, lead guitar; plus "Somethin' 'bout Trains;" "Westbound Freight;" "Days of Bummin';" and "One Last Freight To Ride." There's also a special updated version of Utah Phillips' "I Remember Lovin' You," with Amber Johnson on violin, working with Jim's voice and harmonica, and now with April Fredrick adding her vocals to Jim's on the romantic choruses!

"Amber's violin on that song always sends shivers up and down my back (That's good!!)!" Jim says. "And now with April Fredrick singing with me, "I Remember Lovin' You" just blows me away! It goes way beyond anything I ever thought I'd be involved in, musically!"