

Jim
Gold knows the meaning of a "golden hit." Born and
raised in Detroit, Jim began writing songs and playing guitar
when he was fourteen. In 1971, while he and a friend were playing
at a Detroit club called the Poison Apple, (Jim worked in a
welding shop during the day) he was discovered by Dennis Coffey
and his partner Mike Theodore. Coffey is well known for his
early guitar work on a lot of Motown records and for his hit
single "Scorpio."
Out
of this collaboration came two smash singles by Gallery; "Nice
To Be With You" which was written by Jim, and "I Believe
in Music." From here on in, Jim Gold knew what a "golden
hit" could do. In 1972, Gallery was voted The Best New
Single's Group of '72 by Cash Box, and The Best Vocal Group
by Record World.
"I
guess I was like a lot of guys at the time ... hit the studio,
record a smash ("Nice To Be With You,") and find out
Sussex (record label) wants a group instead of a soloist. We
got a band together, called it Gallery, and toured like mad."
-- Jim Gold, 1989.
In
1972 and 1973, Gallery toured with Jose Feliciano, B.J. Thomas,
Billy Preston, and Charlie Daniels, just to name a few.
In
1976, Sussex Records folded, and so did Gallery. Jim released
"I Can't Face Another Day Without You," his first
solo album, and followed with "Hometown Hero" in 1978.
Both albums received excellent reviews. Cory Wells of Three
Dog Night waxed "Midnight Lady," penned by Jim, on
his 1979 solo album.
When
"Nice
To Be With You" reached the one-million mark in radio plays,
which means that radio stations in the United States have broadcast
the song one million times - some 50,000 hours of air time,
BMI Publishing awarded Jim to commemorate this distinction.
As of 2008 "Nice To Be With You" has had over 3 1/2
million radio plays!
"What's
interesting about this is that (writing) one song has afforded
me the chance to do things that I have always wanted to do."
-- Jim Gold
While
he has not made an album in a while, Gold still writes songs
with the hope that another Artist will pick them up.