Jim "Dookie" Blevins
The nickname came from the wife and my kids after seeing way too many Budweiser “Wazz-Up” commercials.
I got the urge to start playing Bass Guitar after seeing Roger Waters “In The Flesh” tour in Pittsburgh, August 1999. At Christmas the wife asked what I wanted and out of the blue said a Bass Guitar. It shocked her to say the least considering that last time I played any instrument it was Trumpet in Middle School, WAY before I had even met her. That is what started it all. My goal was to learn “Money” then play the Dark Side Of The Moon album. Well after lots of time practicing alone I was able to “Git-R-Done”.
I had a friend of mine that at the time I didn’t know played the old six strings. We talked at a cookout during the summer and I mentioned about playing the Bass, he said that we should get together and jam. We played all kinds of styles and some songs that I had never heard before from his huge collection of CD’s. But I picked them up really fast and it didn’t matter what the song was if he wanted to try it I learned it. That’s when I really got the urge to get out there and “do it live”. “Thanks Rick T., I wouldn’t be here without your help”
I have to thank my wife and kids for putting up with me sitting in the same room but me not really being there because I’d have the amp and the headphones on and practice 2-3 hours per day. This stuff is like therapy for me, when I am away from the Bass I miss playing terribly. For almost 2 years, I used to fly all over the country for work and actually thought I was going through withdrawal, after work I would drive around whatever city I was in looking for an open music store so I could at least get my hands around the neck of a Bass.
My favorite styles of music are Classic Rock, Blues, Soul. My influences are Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Robert Johnson, Van Halen, Queen, and many other 70-80’s bands that I grew up listening to.
I play a 4 string Fender Squire P Bass. With D’Addario EXL170 Nickel Wound strings. I am the newest member of The Pointe. I am extremely proud and lucky to have found this group of guys, they are all phenomenal players and I am indeed honored to be a part of the group.
Dookie