Born: James Thomas Kevin Byrnes on September 22, 1948 in St. Louis, Missouri , USA
Musician and actor Jim Byrnes grew up in Missouri near the Mississippi River. He took piano lessons starting at age 5 and taught himself guitar by age 13.
He also began his acting career at this time with jobs doing Shakespeare In The Park which inspired him to study theatre at Boston University. But an acting career in New York was short lived after being drafted into the US Army and serving a tour of duty in Vietnam.
He made Toronto his new home in 1969, got married in 1970 and then moved to British Columbia in 1971. At this time he resumed his acting career but in February 1972 was in a debilitating car accident that left him unable to act. Instead he returned to his music and toured the west coast to support himself.
In 1976 he settled in Vancouver permanently and with a solid home base formed the Jim Byrnes Band in the late 1970's.
Byrnes released his debut album on The Powder Blues Band label (Blue Wave) called 'Burning' in 1981. The album featured members of the Powder Blues Band and netted Byrnes a Juno award for 'Most Promising Male Vocalist' in 1982. The following year he married again and settled into a new domestic life.
In 1987, he landed a starring role as Dan "Lifeguard" Burroughs on the hit TV show "Wiseguy" which ran for 3 1/2 years. Byrnes' band still managed to tour during this period and released the 1987 Stony Plain disc 'I Turned My Nights Into Days'. He's also appeared in six theatrical movies, including Patrick Stewart's 'Masterminds', eight TV movies, TV guest appearances (including commercial voice-overs), and occasionally returns to the stage in British Columbia.
Byrnes was inducted into the British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1995.
His most recognizable TV role was as 'Joe Dawson' on the syndicated TV show "Highlander" -- for which he won a Leo Award as 'Best Supporting Actor' . He also voiced the animated character 'Inferno' on the animated TV series "Beast Wars".
1996 saw the release of the Stony Plain album 'That River' which found distribution in the USA in 1997 following his second Juno win for 'Best Blues/Gospel Recording'.
Singles
Albums
1981 Burning (Blue Wave/Polydor) PDS-6321
1987 I Turned My Nights Into Days (Stony Plain)
1995 That River (Stony Plain)
1997 That River [re-issue] (Band Together - US)
Video
Compilation Tracks
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