Jim Stafford was raised in Winterhaven, Fla., and still resides there when he is not on the road or performing in his own theatre, The Jim Stafford Theatre, in Branson, Mo.

Jim Stafford wrote and recorded his first chart-making song, The Swamp Witch, produced by his boyhood friend Kent LaVoie a/k/a Lobo in 1974. He followed with a gold single, Spiders and Snakes, which stayed on the American pop charts for 26 weeks. The hits just kept coming and included My Girl Bill, Wildwood Weed, and the wonderfully satirical Cow Patti, written for the Clint Eastwood movie Any Which Way You Can, in which Jim appeared.

Jim launched his television career with The Jim Stafford Show on ABC in 1975. His numerous television appearances included music specials, variety shows, and talk shows. He co-hosted the popular prime-time show Those Amazing Animals with Burgess Meredith and Priscilla Presley. Jim also hosted 56 episodes of Nashville on the Road and made 26 appearances on the Tonight Show. In 1987 and 1988 Jim was a regular performer and head writer/producer for the Emmy-nominated Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He has also worked with Joan Rivers, Tina Turner, Sammy Davis Jr., Bruce Springsteen, Glenn Campbell, Gallagher and many others.

Jim wrote many of the songs for which he is famous and has brought his inimitable style to several movie soundtracks. He received a gold record for his work in the Disney movie The Fox and The Hound and writes for other popular artists such as his Can’t Get The Hell Out of Texas recorded by George Jones and Jerry Reed. Recently, Jim has written and recorded such songs as Layenda Pipeline, Don’t Be Chicken When It’s Time To Crow, Talk That Guitar and more. He has released his second classical guitar album Somewhere In Time and recently released another album Don’t Tell Mama I’m A Guitar Picker.

Jim’s first love has always been live performance. This love brought him to Branson, Missouri, where he owns a theater and entertains visitors year long. The singer, songwriter, comic genius, and entertainer extraordinaire is self-taught on guitar, fiddle, piano, banjo, organ, harmonica and the human brain; he might bring any of them into play at any moment. During his show Jim combines hysterical comedy with masterful performances on the classical guitar as well as with heart-warming stories of the human spirit. Critically acclaimed as the “Victor Borge of the Guitar,” Jim creates hilarious antics from everyday life, taking laughter to a new art form.

Jim is proud to be performing this concert for such a worthy organization as the United Way of Suwannee Valley, which serves the residents of Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee counties.

Please join him for a special night of music, comedy and giving to the United Way. Tickets are only $25 and can be purchased at the United Way of Suwannee Valley. The United Way office is located at 325 NE Hernando Ave., NW, Lake City, Fla. The phone number is 386-752-5604.

United Way of Suwannee Valley is a community impact and fundraising organization which, utilizing volunteers on all levels, advances the common good by identifying unmet community needs and seeking to alleviate those needs through United Way of Suwannee Valley initiatives and the funding of 22 affiliated health and human service agencies.