Jim grew up in Merced CA and started playing guitar at the age of seventeen. By age nineteen, he was in the Merced Junior College jazz band and playing guitar for an up and coming rock band called Plateau.
The following year, Jim transferred to Chico State to earn his accounting degree. While at Chico State, he and his good friend, Ben Guthrie, started a band called Nation, that played at fraternity parties and at local night clubs and earned a solid reputation in the local music scene.
After college graduation, Jim returned to Merced to work for his father's accounting firm. In addition to his full time job, Jim and his friend, Sean Campbell, performed in the local night clubs. Sean encouraged Jim to write and record his own, original music. In 1982, Jim recorded his first song, "It'll Pass”, recorded at McFadin Studios. Jim would later recall that it was so thrilling to be on a vinyl record.
In May 1985, after moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, Jim recorded his “Moonlighting the Bay” album at the Oakland Outback Studios. Tower Records sold the album. In addition, Jim performed at various local night clubs. You may listen to "Moonlighting on the Bay" on Soundcloud.
In 1992, Jim created a collection of 13 delightful songs for his children's album "Finnegan and the O' Hares." He enjoyed playing his children's music for his kids' schools and other local preschools. You may listen to "Finnegan and the O' Hares" now on Soundcloud.
It started as a collection of songs written on the back of spreadsheets and cocktail napkins. As a theme started to emerge around life in the corporate world, Jim and co-worker Alan Beliakoff crafted a story based on the collection of Jim’s songs. Thus was the beginning of “Workforce” the Musical. Over the years, the musical has been performed by the Christ the King Church choir, and was selected by the Contra Costa Times for a one act performance at the Old School House in Pleasant Hill, CA. Listen to the music now on SoundCloud.
The second album released by Jim Maher, “Malaga Way”, started out as an acoustic project but switched into a full blown production after encouragement from his son. Most of the songs were written by Jim back in his twenties; with the exception of “The Strand Gatherer”, written at the request of Sandy Lione, the Christ the King Church music director. His soothing voice and playful melodies are reminiscent of the sweet sounds of the 70’s. Get in now on Bandcamp.