Jim Capaldi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Capaldi
Capaldi accepting a Gold record for Traffic in 1972.
Background information
Birth name	Nicola James Capaldi
Born	(1944-08-02)2 August 1944 Evesham, Worcestershire, England
Died	28 January 2005(2005-01-28) (aged 60) Westminster, London, England
Genres	Progressive rock pop rock soft rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Drums, percussion, vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	1960–2004
Labels	Island, RSO, WEA
Associated acts	Traffic, Steve Winwood, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

Jim Capaldi (born Nicola James Capaldi; August 2, 1944 – January 28, 2005) was an English musician. He was a talented singer, songwriter, and drummer. Jim's music career lasted for over 40 years.

He helped start the progressive rock band Traffic in 1967. He wrote most of their songs with Steve Winwood. Jim Capaldi was later added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic. He also played with famous artists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Jim wrote songs for other musicians too, such as "Love Will Keep Us Alive". As a solo artist, he had several hit songs, including "That's Love" and his cover of "Love Hurts".

Jim Capaldi's Musical Journey

Starting Out: Early Bands

Jim Capaldi was born in Evesham, Worcestershire, England. His father was a music teacher. Jim learned to play piano and sing from him. By his teenage years, he was playing drums with friends.

When he was 14, Jim started a band called the Sapphires. He was their lead singer. At 16, he met Keith Miller and Dave Mason while working at a factory. In 1963, he formed the Hellions with Mason. Jim switched to playing drums for this band.

In 1964, the Hellions traveled to Hamburg, Germany, to perform. There, Jim and Dave Mason became friends with Steve Winwood. The Hellions later played as a backing band for other artists. They released three singles, but none became hits. Later, Jim became the lead singer for the Hellions.

In 1966, the Hellions changed their name to the Revolution. They released another single, but it also didn't become a hit. Dave Mason left the band. Jim then formed a new band called Deep Feeling. They wrote their own songs and played many gigs.

Traffic: First Big Success

Jim Capaldi and Deep Feeling often played in London. Even Jimi Hendrix played guitar with them once. Back in Birmingham, Jim would sometimes jam with his friends Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, and Chris Wood. In early 1967, they decided to form a band called Traffic. Deep Feeling then broke up.

Traffic signed with Island Records. They rented a quiet cottage to write and practice new songs. Many famous musicians visited them there, like Eric Clapton.

Jim Capaldi wrote the words for Traffic's first single, "Paper Sun". This song became a hit in the UK in 1967. This was the start of a great songwriting team between Jim and Steve Winwood. Jim would write the lyrics, and Steve would create the music. Jim rarely sang lead vocals for Traffic. His lyrics were usually written for Steve's soulful voice.

Traffic had two more successful singles in 1967. In December, they released their first album, Mr. Fantasy. After one more album, Traffic, the band split up.

Traffic Returns and New Albums

Jim Capaldi (middle) in a 1970 advertisement for the Traffic album John Barleycorn Must Die.

In 1970, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood joined Steve Winwood in the studio. They were supposed to record Steve's solo album. But the music they made was so good that they decided to bring Traffic back together. They released the album John Barleycorn Must Die.

Traffic then toured the UK and the US. They added more musicians to the band. This new lineup created more hit albums like Welcome to the Canteen and The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. The song "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" became one of Jim's most famous lyrics. It was about the music business. Jim also sang lead on "Rock and Roll Stew (part 1)", which was a small hit in the US.

Solo Career Begins

Traffic performing live in 1973. Jim Capaldi is in the middle, slightly hidden.

While Traffic was on a break, Jim Capaldi recorded his first solo album, Oh How We Danced, in 1972. This album had many different music styles. Other famous musicians, like Paul Kossoff from the band Free, played on it. Critics liked the album, and it did well in the US. This encouraged Jim to continue his solo career alongside Traffic.

After two more albums with Traffic, the band took another break. Jim recorded his second solo album, Whale Meat Again. This album was not as successful. The main song, "Whale Meat Again", was a strong song about protecting the environment. Jim often wrote songs about social and political issues.

He started working on his third solo album, Short Cut Draw Blood, while also recording When the Eagle Flies with Traffic. A song from Short Cut, "It's All Up to You", became a UK Top 40 hit. Traffic broke up after their tour, and Jim focused completely on his solo music.

Short Cut Draw Blood was released in 1975. A song from the album, a cover of The Everly Brothers' "Love Hurts", became a huge hit. It reached number four in the UK and was popular worldwide. Many people consider this album to be his best work. It talked about topics like the environment and government problems.

Changing Sounds and New Hits

Jim Capaldi started working on his next album, Play it by Ear. At the same time, he helped Steve Winwood with his first solo album. Play it by Ear took a long time to make. Jim's record label, Island Records, ended their contract with him. The album was canceled, even though a single had already been released. Jim said leaving Island Records was "a leap into the wilderness."

He then wrote music for a film called "The Contender". He also formed a new backing band called the Contenders. This band mostly supported him on tour. Jim started trying out disco music with his new record label, RSO Records. His first album with them was called The Contender (or Daughter of the Night in the US).

His next album, Electric Nights (1979), was more successful. The song "Shoe Shine" mixed disco beats with angry lyrics about poverty. It was a hit in France. Jim didn't really like his two albums with RSO. He felt they were "buried under a pile of disco."

Jim changed record labels again. He stopped making disco music for his next two albums, The Sweet Smell of... Success (1980) and Let the Thunder Cry (1981). These albums had a mix of calm pop and strong rock songs. Some songs even had a Latin feel because Jim was living in Brazil. While these albums didn't have huge hits worldwide, "Old Photographs" and "Favella Music" became big hits in Brazil.

Back to Stardom

Jim Capaldi and Steve Winwood always kept working together. For Jim's eighth solo album, Fierce Heart, Steve Winwood helped a lot. Jim played most of the drums himself on this album. The album had a lot of synthesizers, which was popular in the 1980s.

The song "That's Love" became Jim's biggest hit in the US in 1983. Another song, "Living on the Edge", also did well. The album itself reached number 91 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Jim quickly released another album, One Man Mission, in 1984. Even with famous musicians like Steve Marriott and Carlos Santana playing on it, this album didn't produce a hit. It was more rock-focused than Fierce Heart.

In 1988, Jim released Some Come Running. This album didn't sell as well as hoped in the US, but it was a hit in Sweden and the Netherlands. "Something so Strong" became his biggest hit in the Netherlands.

Some Come Running was mostly the end of Jim's solo career for a while. He didn't record another solo album for over ten years. However, a collection of his greatest hits, Prince of Darkness, was released in 1995 and was popular in the Netherlands.

Working with Other Artists

Jim Capaldi continued to be a very successful songwriter throughout his life. In 1990, he wrote the lyrics for Steve Winwood's song "One and Only Man", which became a Top 20 hit in the US. Jim won several awards for his songs being played a lot in America. Over 25 million copies of songs he wrote or co-wrote were sold.

Jim was known for working with many other musicians. He was friends with Bob Marley. Jim wrote the lyrics for the song "This Is Reggae Music". In the 1980s, he worked with Carlos Santana. In the 1990s, he co-wrote "Love Will Keep Us Alive", which was used on the Eagles' successful album Hell Freezes Over.

In 1993, Traffic got back together and toured the US and UK. Jim and Steve Winwood recorded a new Traffic album, Far from Home. In 1998, Jim toured with Dave Mason again.

Final Years and Last Album

In 2001, Jim Capaldi released his eleventh solo album, Living on the Outside. This album featured many famous musicians. These included George Harrison, Steve Winwood, Paul Weller, and Ian Paice. George Harrison played guitar on the song "Anna Julia". Jim and his brother Phil also played at the Concert for George in 2002, which was a tribute to George Harrison.

Jim Capaldi's Life Outside Music

Jim Capaldi married Aninha E S Campos from Brazil in 1975. In 1977, they moved to Brazil. They had two daughters, Tabitha (born 1976) and Tallulah (born 1979). The Capaldis lived in the Bahia region of Brazil for a few years. While there, Jim became very involved in environmental issues.

They also had homes in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, and Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His love for Brazil inspired the song "Favela Music" on his 1981 album. He worked with several Brazilian composers.

Jim Capaldi was a friend and supporter of the London School of Samba. He did a lot of charity work in Brazil. He helped organizations like the Associação Beneficiente São Martinho, which helps street children. Because of his charity work, Jim and his wife were invited to visit the British Prime Minister's country house.

Jim Capaldi continued to work on music until he became ill. He was planning a Traffic reunion tour for 2005. Jim passed away from stomach cancer in London on January 28, 2005, at the age of 60.

Remembering Jim Capaldi: Tributes

After Jim Capaldi's death, several tributes were created to celebrate his life and music. They were all named Dear Mr Fantasy.

The first tribute was a concert held in London on January 21, 2007. Many famous musicians performed, including Bill Wyman (from the Rolling Stones), Steve Winwood (Traffic), Cat Stevens, Joe Walsh (The Eagles), and Pete Townshend (The Who). They played Jim's solo songs and Traffic songs. All the money raised went to a charity that helps street children. A recording of this concert was released as a double CD.

The second tribute was a four-disc music collection called Dear Mr. Fantasy: The Jim Capaldi Story. It was released in 2011. It included songs from Jim's solo albums, his early bands, and some rare unreleased recordings. It even had a song he wrote with George Harrison. The collection also came with a book of photos and essays about Jim.

The third and final tribute was a book of Jim Capaldi's handwritten song lyrics. It was released in 2011. Jim had wanted to create a boxed set and a lyrics book before he died. His wife made sure these projects were completed to keep her promise to him.

Jim Capaldi's Solo Music Albums

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

• 1995 – Prince of Darkness
• 1999 – Live: The 40,000 Headmen Tour (with Dave Mason)
• 2011 – Dear Mr Fantasy: The Jim Capaldi Story
• 2020 – Open Your Heart - The Island Recordings 1972-1976

Singles