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Jim Earp is a committed, energetic guitarist from San Diego, California (USA) who describes his style as noveau-celtic-classical-folk, as demonstrated on his latest release, "Smiles To Go".  His guitars of choice include a Custom Rosewood 6-String Cutaway and a Steinberger GM. Earp has played guitar since 1973, and clearly states his career goal, "To be an established guitarist in the professional fingerstyle guitar community."
When asked about his favorite effect for the guitar, Earp replied, "Compression. When used on two-handed "tapping" compositions, it helps even out the guitar's signal," and mentioned his musicial goals, "Best offered in a quote from San Diego's SLAMM Magazine (5/15/96), "...The central vibe of (Rosewood) has a healthy, spiritual quality...Earp suceeds in giving his pieces unique identities...(his) lovely melodies and his gifted guitar playing meld into a sweet, finely crafted sound..." That quote reflects every goal I intend to reach with my music, both now and in the future." He would love to someday study the Uilleann pipes ("Davy Spillane is king!"), and is currently listening to San Diego indie singer/songwriter and producer of his CD, Joe Mersch, Billy Mclaughlin, Bruce Cockburn and Riverdance . His greatest satisfaction? "Honoring God," he states unequivocally.
 Earp lists ongoing and upcoming projects thusly, "Released August 1999, my newest project is a solo instrumental follow-up to Rosewood entitled "Smiles To Go", which is available through Solid Air Records. Also available from Solid Air is a sampler entitled "Acoustic Guitar Highlights Volume II", where a track from Rosewood was included alongside cuts from, among others, Elton John's bandleader Davey Johnstone, The Hellecaster's John Jorgenson, and ex-Wings guitarist Laurence Juber."
Guitar Nine Records visitors have compared the playing style and/or musical approach of Jim Earp to guitarists such as Phil Keaggy and others.
Earp's discography (available here at Guitar Nine Records) includes several solo albums ("Rosewood", "Smiles To Go", "Be Thou My Vision") and participation on a number of other recordings (Joe Mersch "The Forbidden Anthems", Joe Mersch "Freestyle", San Diego Instrumentalists "Enough Talk, Acoustic Guitar Compilation, Vol. 1").
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