Raw Talent
DURING THE 1 980s and into the ’90s, Jimmy Rip was one of the hottest session guitarists on the scene, racking up gigs with Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, Debbie Harry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, Jack Bruce, Hall and Oates, Mariah Carey and others. So what was it that made the New York–born musician everybody’s go-to guy?
He has no idea.
“Nobody ever told me what they liked about my playing,” Rip says with a laugh. “Maybe it’s because I’m a pleasant person to have breakfast with. It’s kind of strange. People hire you, but they never really give you compliments.
“I think it’s because of my versatility,” he offers after a bit more thought. “I grew up on New York City radio in the ’60s, when you could literally hear anything: rock, pop, soul — you name it. For four or five hours a day, I would spin the dial and play along to each song. That was more valuable than
