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Jim CreganEnglish rock guitarist
Date of Birth: 09.03.1946
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of James Cregan
- Work with 'Family' and 'Cockney Rebel'
- Collaboration with Rod Stewart and Other Projects
- Personal Life and Current Endeavors
Biography of James Cregan
Early Life and CareerJames Cregan was born on March 9, 1946, in Yeovil, Somerset. At the age of 14, he joined the band "The Falcons" while attending Poole Grammar School for Boys. He later played with "The Disastisfied Blues Band" and briefly with Dave Mason in "Julian Covay and the Machine" in 1967. Eventually, he became the vocalist and guitarist for the rock-soul group "The Ingoes," which later transformed into "Blossom Toes" and began playing psychedelic and guitar rock.
Work with 'Family' and 'Cockney Rebel'
In 1972, Cregan joined the band "Family" as the replacement bass guitarist for John Wetton. He toured North America with the band, opening for Elton John in the fall of 1972. After recording two singles and the album "It's Only a Movie" (1973), "Family" disbanded. In 1974, Cregan played with Charlie Whitney and Roger Chapman in "Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers" for a short period of time.
Later that year, he joined the glam rock group "Cockney Rebel" as the guitarist. With "Cockney Rebel," Cregan recorded the hit single "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" at Abbey Road Studios in 1975, which reached number one in the UK and Europe. He spent two years with the band during their peak commercial success.
Collaboration with Rod Stewart and Other Projects
In 1977, Cregan joined Rod Stewart's band and became his musical director, co-producer, and co-songwriter. He co-wrote several of Stewart's hits, including "Passion" and "Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)," which earned them awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). His third ASCAP award came for co-writing "Forever Young" in 1988, which was critically acclaimed. Cregan worked with Stewart for 12 years until 1995.
During the 1990s, Cregan produced successful albums for London-based rock group "Quireboys" and Canadian rockers "Glass Tiger." He also reunited with Stewart for the album "Unplugged...and Seated" in 1993, which achieved triple platinum status in the US and Canada. Their collaboration on the song "Have I Told You Lately" became a number one hit in the UK and reached the top twenty in other countries.
In 1995, Cregan formed the band "Farm Dogs" with Bernie Taupin. They released two albums together. Cregan then worked with Windham Hill Records as a producer and musician, collaborating with various artists such as Gaelic Storm and Joe Cocker. His work frequently appeared in the top five charts, and he released multiple platinum albums, including Katie Melua's "Call off the Search" (2003) and "Piece By Piece" (2005), with whom he also toured.
Personal Life and Current Endeavors
Cregan is currently married to California model Jane Booke, and they reside in Los Angeles. However, in interviews, he has admitted to spending more time in London as he has grown tired of American culture.
