We know him simply as Muffin, a nickname he was given growing up in a tough neighborhood back East. (Think of the Fonz on "Happy Days" saying, "Ayyy, MUF-FIN!") Lately he is being billed as "Jimmy Muffin" for legal reasons - there is another Muffin out there - but I think the only people who call him Jimmy are his parents.

A LOOK BACK:   April 24, 1997 at the Troubadour

Muffin had the unenviable chore of opening a show with four other acts on the bill, playing for the latecomers. It didn't help that he was the only one without the backing of a full band. But Muffin and sideman extraordinaire Craig Eastman (on fiddle, mandolin and dobro) captured the crowd's fancy to the point that they would have gotten an encore if the soundman hadn't been so quick to punch in the canned music, which essentially silenced the cheering masses.

The set list:

• Country Music Is A Family Show
• She Is the One
• Willie's Old Guitar
• Black N White N Blue
• Till We Cry
• Different Planes
• Without You In My Life
• That's It, Time's Up

The timbre of Muffin's voice has always reminded me of Jim Croce. This quality is especially noticeable on the ballads. On the fast songs, there is a hint of Buddy Holly.

"She Is the One" sounded great. I always think of Holly when I hear this song, it's got that kind of purity to it. You'd expect the lyrics to be about "her," the woman in Muffin's life, but actually it's advice to a friend who doesn't appreciate what he's got. What could have been a generic love song is instead a folky "She Loves You."

Standouts among the ballads were "Willie's Old Guitar" (a tribute to Mr. Nelson) and a very moody "Black N White N Blue."

I was also impressed with "Until We Cry" which had a driving strum riff that made me want to hear Muffin do this number backed by somebody like Rank and File.

The other acts on the bill were Erin McCaffrey, Krista & Tommy Holdenhill, Mark Insley and Aynee Osborn.

GIF of flyer for this show