The Time Jumpers were founded in 1998 as a group of Nashville studio musicians who enjoyed jamming together. When country star Vince Gill joined in 2010, they started performing regularly Monday nights at Station Inn before outgrowing that venue and moving to 3rd & Lindsley.
Reba McEntire, Bonnie Raitt and Norah Jones often drop by to join this 10-man ensemble, making it a staple in Nashville. But their musicianship truly sets them apart as one of its own kind.
Western Swing
Western Swing quickly flourished during the 1930s from its roots in Frontier fiddle and cowboy culture, merging with turn of the century Ragtime, Plantation Blues, African American music such as boogie-woogie and Dixieland jazz; Nashville country music followed shortly thereafter followed by bee bop, Rockabilly and Rock and Roll were influenced by Western Swing.
Time Jumpers was founded in 1998 as an assembly of Nashville’s studio musicians. They quickly earned a weekly gig at Station Inn club on Monday nights before quickly outgrowing this venue and moving onto 3rd and Lindsley once their crowds became too large for it.
Grammy Award winner Vince Gill (vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar), Paul Franklin (steel guitar), “Ranger Doug” Green (upright bass), Brad Albin (bass guitar) and Kenny Sears (fiddles) comprise their current six-piece lineup. Recently they released the album Kid Sister as a memorial to Dawn Sears who passed away in 2014. Tonight at Wright-Patt they’ll bring their unique brand of Western Swing music!
Country
The Time Jumpers band stands out from many country music acts by having 500 years of combined musical experience behind them, rather than depending on youth- or the illusion thereof- to perform. Their Monday night residency at Nashville bluegrass spot Station Inn (and later 3rd and Lindsley) became one of Nashville’s hottest tickets, drawing in fans from near and far alike.
Beginning in 1998 with an ever-evolving lineup of top studio musicians who shared an affinity for Western swing dance music, today the 10 members of this band — “Ranger Doug” Green on vocals and acoustic rhythm guitar, Paul Franklin on steel guitar, Brad Albin on upright bass, Larry Franklin on fiddle, Andy Reiss on electric guitar and Joe Spivey as fiddler/vocalist — are dedicated to keeping this genre alive for future generations.
Blues
Blues music expresses feelings of sadness or melancholy through songs that typically use 12-bar structures and specific scales to elicit emotions such as melancholy. Contrasting with dance music that celebrates success, blues songs instead linger with listeners to explore themes of sorrow and struggle – unlike their dance counterparts which celebrate pleasure and success with loud celebrations of pleasure and success. Blues songs typically use specific scales that invoke feelings like melancholy.
Monday nights at 3rd and Lindsley are an incredible musical destination, featuring veteran industry musicians like Vince Gill, “Ranger Doug” Green, Brad Albin, Joe Spivey, Jeff Taylor and Billy Thomas – not forgetting several up-and-comers such as Brad Albin.
Wendy Moten joins the band with an eclectic vocal style and promises to rock any venue they play together. This combination will undoubtedly turn heads and draw crowds of all kinds when performing together at venues.
Jazz
Jazz music combines elements from various other styles into one genre, becoming famous for its improvisational nature and use of different timbres, syncopated rhythms and polyphonic ensemble playing.
The Time Jumpers band consists of world-class musicians residing in Nashville who make their living as session pickers. They first met while practicing Western swing music while performing as back up musicians for other stars on stage at Grand Ole Opry dressing room rehearsals.
They first performed at the Station Inn before moving to Nashville’s 3rd and Lindsley. Tennessean writer Juli Thanki described them as one of Nashville’s hottest shows – it has even attracted celebrities such as Joe Walsh, Robert Plant, Reba McEntire and Norah Jones who often show up to sit or hang out with them!
Pop
Since 2000, music fans visiting Nashville have planned their itinerary around Monday nights at 3rd & Lindsley to witness The Time Jumpers: an ensemble of world class musicians renowned for showcasing Music City‘s rich tradition of pickers jamming after work is finished. Although normally paid their bills with studio sessions or touring gigs, once every week The Time Jumpers come together for an incredible western swing show that leans heavily toward country, sometimes with special guests such as Sheryl Crow, Mo Pitney, Reba McEntire Robert Plant Delbert McClinton Norah Jones Joe Walsh among many others!
NCD recently caught up with Ranger Doug Green and members of The Time Jumpers — Paul Franklin on steel guitar, Brad Albin on bass and Billy Thomas on drums — to discuss their new album Kid Sister in memory of Dawn Sears who passed away from lung cancer last year.