Jimmy Fox

James Kent Fox (born August 24, 1947), known professionally as Jimmy Fox or Jim Fox, is an American musician best known as the drummer, founder, and namesake of the rock band James Gang.^[1] He is the only member to appear on every James Gang album and incarnation of the group. Fox also maintains a notable collection of vintage license plates.^[2] Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Fox began playing music in high school, joining the mostly instrumental rock and R&B band Tom King and the Starfires. He remained with its successor, the Outsiders, before forming the James Gang in 1966.^[3] The band achieved success in the late 1960s and 1970s, featuring guitarists such as Joe Walsh and Tommy Bolin, and released several albums including Yer' Album (1969) and James Gang Rides Again (1970).^[4] Fox has collaborated with artists like Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and Stephen Stills, and continues to perform occasionally, including at the VetsAid concert in 2022.^[5]

Early life

Childhood and family

James A. Fox was born in 1935 in Dikkebus, Belgium, to Jack Fox, a British soldier who later worked as a gardener for the Imperial War Graves Commission, and Adrienne Dumortier, a Belgian woman.^[6]^[7] The youngest of five children, he grew up in a mixed Belgian-British community near Ypres. His childhood was marked by the outbreak of World War II; at the age of four, he was evacuated by boat from Belgium in May 1940 during the German invasion and relocated with his family to Burnt Oak in north London.^[6] The family returned to Belgium in 1946, but following his mother's death in 1952, Fox moved back to Britain with his father.^[6]^[7]

Musical education

Fox received his early education in Ypres, attending a French-speaking secondary school until the age of 17.^[6]^[7] He became fluent in English, French, and Flemish through his bilingual upbringing. After completing his schooling, Fox undertook national service in the Royal Air Force from 1953 to 1956, during which he was posted to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Paris. It was there that his passion for photography was ignited.^[6]^[7] Following his service, he began his career in 1958 at NATO headquarters in Paris, working on photographic documentation and building connections with photojournalists.^[6]

Musical career

Early bands and session work

Fox began his professional music career in November 1963 by joining the Cleveland-based instrumental rock and R&B band Tom King and the Starfires while still in high school.^[3] The group performed contemporary R&B hits and some blues material, providing Fox with his initial exposure to live performances and band dynamics.^[3] In 1965, Tom King and the Starfires evolved into the vocal-oriented rock band The Outsiders, which achieved national success with their top-five hit single "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966.^[3] When the band's original drummer was drafted into military service later that year, Fox stepped in as a replacement, drumming on their debut album Time Won't Let Me and during a two-week promotional tour that included an appearance on the television show Hullabaloo.^[3]^[8] These experiences honed Fox's adaptability in high-pressure settings and contributed to his growing reputation in the Cleveland music scene.^[1] Following his stint with The Outsiders, Fox established himself as a sought-after session musician, collaborating with prominent artists across rock and blues genres.^[1] Notable contributions include drumming on Eric Clapton's "Steady Rollin' Man" from the 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard, a cover of the Robert Johnson blues standard that showcased Fox's solid, supportive groove.^[1] He also provided session drums for B.B. King, Stephen Stills' 1975 self-titled album Stills, and Chuck Mangione, demonstrating his versatility in blending rock precision with blues and jazz-inflected styles.^[1] These freelance opportunities, often in Miami studios, solidified Fox's profile as a reliable and adaptable drummer capable of enhancing diverse recordings.^[1]

James Gang

Jimmy Fox founded the James Gang in the fall of 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, initially teaming up with guitarist Glen Schwartz and bassist Tom Kriss, all of whom had previously played together in local bands.^[3] The band, named after Fox himself, drew from blues and British rock influences, with Fox serving as the drummer and the only consistent member throughout its various incarnations.^[3] The band's breakthrough came in 1969 with the release of their self-titled debut album on ABC Records, followed by the addition of guitarist Joe Walsh in 1968, which shifted their sound toward a harder-edged rock style.^[1] Key releases during the early 1970s era with Walsh included James Gang Rides Again (1970) and Thirds (1971), featuring hits like "Funk #49" and "Walk Away," which became FM radio staples and showcased the band's blend of bluesy riffs and energetic grooves.^[1] Extensive tours supported these albums, including national headlining shows and opening slots for acts like the Who, solidifying the James Gang's reputation in the hard rock landscape.^[3] Fox's drumming style was pivotal to the band's hard rock sound, characterized by swampy, blues-infused grooves that provided a solid, propulsive foundation for Walsh's guitar work and the rhythm section with bassist Dale Peters.^[1] Influenced by drummers like Ringo Starr, Mitch Mitchell, and Ginger Baker, Fox emphasized dynamic fills and a high level of musicianship rooted in blues traditions, often contributing keyboards on tracks to enhance the band's textured arrangements.^[3] His innovations included tight, interlocking rhythms that drove songs like "Funk #49," where his steady, rolling beats complemented the track's funky edge without overpowering the ensemble.^[1] Following Walsh's departure in 1971 to pursue a solo career, Fox demonstrated strong leadership by guiding the band through lineup changes, recruiting guitarist Tommy Bolin on Walsh's recommendation.^[9] The Bolin era produced albums Bang (1973), recorded at Cleveland Recording Company, and Miami (1974), taped at Criteria Studios in Florida, which experimented with funkier, more jazz-inflected elements while retaining the core hard rock drive.^[9] Bolin left abruptly in August 1974, prompting further shifts to members like Richard Shack and Bubba Keith, but Fox remained the anchor, handling rehearsals—often in his own garage—and maintaining the band's direction until its initial disbandment in 1976.^[9] Through these evolutions and breakups, Fox's commitment ensured the James Gang's longevity as a Cleveland rock institution, with over a dozen lineup variations across its active years.^[1]

Later projects and reunions

Following the dissolution of the James Gang in the late 1970s, Jimmy Fox pursued sporadic musical endeavors that highlighted his roots in blues and rock percussion. In 2016, he collaborated with guitarist Glen Schwartz—his bandmate from pre-James Gang days in the late 1960s—to release Sunday Morning Revival under the moniker Schwartz-Fox Blues Crusade. This album captured a raw, free-form blues jam session recorded on a single morning in spring 1967, featuring Fox's steady, groove-oriented drumming alongside Schwartz's guitar work and contributions from bassist Terry Wilson and harmonica player Dick Kolt.^[10] The release, issued by Smog Veil Records, served as an archival nod to Fox's early influences and his enduring commitment to blues-infused percussion, though it remained a niche project rather than a commercial venture.^[11] Fox's later stage appearances centered on James Gang reunions, marking rare returns to live performance. In September 2022, he joined original bandmates Joe Walsh and Dale Peters for one-off sets at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts in London, England, on September 3, and in Los Angeles, California, on September 27, where the trio performed classics like "Funk #49" to honor the late Foo Fighters drummer.^[12]^[13] This was followed by what would be billed as the band's final show on November 13, 2022, at the VetsAid charity event at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Supported by guest drummer Dave Grohl on select tracks, Fox, Walsh, and Peters delivered a set including "Walk Away" and "The Bomber," with proceeds benefiting Ohio veterans' organizations; the performance was framed as "One Last Ride," signaling the end of the group's live outings.^[14]^[15] Since the 2022 VetsAid appearance, Fox has maintained a low public profile in music, with no major new releases, tours, or solo projects announced as of November 2025. His percussion work continues to be celebrated for its foundational role in rock grooves, underscoring a career spanning over five decades without further high-profile collaborations reported.^[16]

License plate collection

Origins and development

Jimmy Fox's license plate collecting hobby developed gradually from a personal passion into a renowned endeavor, with his dedication spanning over four decades. As a lifelong enthusiast, he amassed one of the largest private collections worldwide, emphasizing completeness and diversity in plate designs as reflections of automotive and regulatory history. Fox's approach prioritized educational value, viewing plates as tangible records of state innovation and cultural shifts, which fueled his commitment to documenting and preserving them.^[17]^[2] The collection expanded significantly through methodical acquisition, including purchases at auctions, exchanges with international dealers, and scavenging from abandoned vehicles and scrapyards. By the early 1990s, it included full sequences for all 50 U.S. states dating back to the earliest issues, thousands of rare porcelain enamel plates from the pre-1920s era, and representative series from virtually every nation with a history of vehicular registration. This growth peaked at approximately 30,000 plates around 2006, establishing Fox as a key figure among collectors for his breadth rather than narrow specialization.^[2]^[18] In the early 2000s, Fox initiated the disposal of much of his holdings via sales and contributions to museums and associations, streamlining his inventory while sustaining his involvement in the community. Following the disposal, his collection was significantly reduced, centering on high-quality U.S. standards and select international oddities, such as military and territorial issues. This refined assortment highlights his enduring motivations— the thrill of discovery and sharing knowledge—honed over years of hands-on pursuit.^[2]

Publications and involvement

Fox authored the seminal reference work License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903 to the Present in 1994, which provides a comprehensive visual and textual overview of all standard-issue U.S. license plates from 1903 to 1993, including details on designs, colors, serial formats, and historical context for each state.^[19] This third edition, published under ISBN 1886777004, remains a cornerstone resource for collectors and historians, featuring full-color photography and an introduction to ALPCA's history by Keith Marvin.^[2] Throughout his involvement in the hobby, Fox held prominent leadership roles in the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA), serving as president from 1983 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 1995, as well as on the Board of Directors from 1976 to 1982 and 1985 to 1986.^[2] He also contributed numerous articles to the ALPCA Newsletter—predecessor to PLATES magazine—and to Car Collector magazine, sharing insights on plate variations, rarities, and collecting strategies that advanced community knowledge.^[2] In recognition of his extensive contributions to the field, including his authoritative publications and organizational leadership, Fox was inducted into the ALPCA Hall of Fame.^[2] Beyond writing and administration, he co-hosted ALPCA's 25th international convention in Mentor, Ohio, in 1979, which was the largest gathering of collectors at the time, fostering growth in the association.^[2] Fox has further extended his expertise through public outreach, such as in a 2017 video interview at the O Museum in Washington, D.C., where he discussed highlights from his collection and the evolution of license plate design.^[20]