Jim Duff is an American singer songwriter from Waynesburg Kentucky. Jim counted the legends of traditional Country music as his heroes. Artists like Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Townes Van Zandt made a huge impact on the young songwriter and helped shape his sound. He dreamt of a life performing. However, music was not his only talent and life took him in another direction for a while.
In 1997 Jim launched his own telecommunication services company. The business did well and grew exponentially. Eventually he was able to count some of the biggest names in the industry as his clients. He managed hundreds of projects and circled the globe. However, the guitar playing kid from Waynesburg never forgot his dream of making music.
He traveled from town to town, climbing cell towers, meeting with clients and delivering Powerpoint presentations. He spent years on the road. As both catharsis for loneliness and a cure for boredom, Jim wrote songs. He wrote a lot of them, as a matter of fact. In the 28 years of his telecom career Duff composed over 200 songs.
Then, in 2018 a potentially devastating medical report changed Jim's life forever. He was diagnosed with stage four melanoma cancer on his brain, lung, liver, and hip. Brain surgery and chemotherapy followed. He signed his company over to his son and got down to the work of beating cancer. Although he left the business behind, Jim Duff brought those 200 songs with him. Out of adversity, his dream of becoming a working musician was born.
By April 2019 he had made a remarkable recovery and hit the ground running with his music. Jim released an incredible string of singles, EPs, and a full length album. In less than two years he produced a career-worthy catalog. Then came a tour. Starting in Texas Jim fulfilled his childhood dreams by playing some of the same venues his heroes haunted decades earlier.
It hasn’t been easy. Cancer came for him again in 2020, but with the help of his doctors, family, friends and the prayers of fans he is once again on the mend. Treatments continue but Jim is not letting anything get in the way of the music. He’s still writing, recording and releasing new songs. Another tour for 2021 is already in the works.
Jim Duff is still fighting cancer everyday. But he refuses to let it slow him down. The show must go on. There are stories to tell and songs to sing.