JIM CREGO & THE NORTH ELECTRIC

Born in Minneapolis, Jim grew up exposed to all sorts of different music and always knew he’d be a musician. He started out playing drums and soon moved to learning multiple musical instruments. At age 12, Jim decided to start playing guitar, too; having felt some mastery of driving beats. He and his guitar-slinging buddies played music at parties–never with a singer, and “always sucking”–but the experience paid off.

Jim supplied the back beat in his real band, North by Northeast, which was rounded out by Mike Orr, and Paul & Tommy Merkl. Their first rock shows were at the legendary clubs, 7th Street Entry and The Uptown Bar. North by Northeast released a single on Go2 Records before parting ways.

Next up was Dragnet, fronted by Greg Schaefer (currently of GST fame). This was the first band Jim played guitar in, but wouldn’t be the last. Playing in Dragnet helped Jim understand just what kind of music he wanted to write and play. This vision was realized when he formed God’s Favorite Band with Chris Benson and Andy Wolf. “GFB” signed to Twin Tone records and has had a fantastic run; becoming an iconic Minneapolis band in the early 1990s and continuing to play ever since. The rest, as they say is history, including a star-turning run playing guitar in Kansas-based Truck Stop Love and his current solo turn, fronting The North Electric.