Jim plays bouzouki, whistles, Irish flute and recorders for InishMohr and for many years with the Booley Band before InishMohr. He currently studies flute with Laura MacKenzie of St. Paul. Jim is originally from Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Jim's love for traditional Celtic music began during college after seeing The Boys of the Lough. That interest eventually led to his Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, thus lending dubious academic credibility to InishMohr.